‘Humane thing to do’: Jaishankar says India allowed Iranian ship IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi
According to the minister, the vessel was carrying 183 crew members, many of them young naval cadets, and had developed a technical issue while sailing in the region. The ship had originally set out to participate in a naval drill but became caught in rapidly escalating regional tensions.
- Mar 7, 2026,
- Updated Mar 7, 2026 2:40 PM IST
India allowed an Iranian naval vessel to dock in Kochi on humanitarian grounds after it reported technical problems amid the escalating Iran-US conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on March 7.
Catch live coverage on West Asia conflict here
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Jaishankar said the Iranian ship IRIS Lavan was granted permission to berth in the southern port city of Kochi after it requested assistance on March 1.
“I think it was the humane thing to do,” Jaishankar said, emphasising that India’s decision was guided primarily by humanitarian considerations rather than geopolitical factors.
According to the minister, the vessel was carrying 183 crew members, many of them young naval cadets, and had developed a technical issue while sailing in the region. The ship had originally set out to participate in a naval drill but became caught in rapidly escalating regional tensions.
The ship had earlier taken part in the International Fleet Review 2026, a major maritime exercise hosted by India in February.
Jaishankar’s remarks came days after a US submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4, killing more than 80 sailors. Around 32 personnel were later rescued by the Sri Lankan navy.
Calling the incident “unfortunate”, Jaishankar said the vessels had effectively been caught “on the wrong side of events” as hostilities intensified between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Another Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, also sought assistance from Sri Lanka following the attack, with more than 200 sailors brought ashore.
India has so far refrained from taking sides in the conflict and has repeatedly called for restraint, dialogue and de-escalation. On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy in New Delhi to offer condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Jaishankar reiterated that India’s decision to assist the Iranian vessel reflected a humanitarian approach, even as the widening conflict reaches the Indian Ocean region.
India allowed an Iranian naval vessel to dock in Kochi on humanitarian grounds after it reported technical problems amid the escalating Iran-US conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on March 7.
Catch live coverage on West Asia conflict here
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Jaishankar said the Iranian ship IRIS Lavan was granted permission to berth in the southern port city of Kochi after it requested assistance on March 1.
“I think it was the humane thing to do,” Jaishankar said, emphasising that India’s decision was guided primarily by humanitarian considerations rather than geopolitical factors.
According to the minister, the vessel was carrying 183 crew members, many of them young naval cadets, and had developed a technical issue while sailing in the region. The ship had originally set out to participate in a naval drill but became caught in rapidly escalating regional tensions.
The ship had earlier taken part in the International Fleet Review 2026, a major maritime exercise hosted by India in February.
Jaishankar’s remarks came days after a US submarine sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4, killing more than 80 sailors. Around 32 personnel were later rescued by the Sri Lankan navy.
Calling the incident “unfortunate”, Jaishankar said the vessels had effectively been caught “on the wrong side of events” as hostilities intensified between Iran, the United States and Israel.
Another Iranian vessel, IRIS Bushehr, also sought assistance from Sri Lanka following the attack, with more than 200 sailors brought ashore.
India has so far refrained from taking sides in the conflict and has repeatedly called for restraint, dialogue and de-escalation. On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Iranian embassy in New Delhi to offer condolences following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Jaishankar reiterated that India’s decision to assist the Iranian vessel reflected a humanitarian approach, even as the widening conflict reaches the Indian Ocean region.