EAM Jaishankar Breaks Silence On Iranian Warship Row, Says Kochi Docking Was Humanitarian

Amid rising controversy over the sinking of Iran’s warship IRIS Dena and India allowing the Iranian vessel IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar clarified India’s position. He said the decision to allow docking was made purely on humanitarian grounds after the ship reported technical issues. The vessel, carrying 183 crew members, is currently stationed at naval facilities in Kochi. Jaishankar also referred to the IRIS Dena incident near Sri Lanka, where a suspected U.S. submarine attack killed over 80 sailors. Rejecting allegations of sharing intelligence with Washington, India reiterated its commitment to international law and humanitarian responsibility in the Indian Ocean.