Why India let an Iranian warship dock at Kochi
India recently let the Iranian naval ship IRIS Lavan dock at Kochi, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar explained it was a humanitarian call: the ship had 183 crew members (including young cadets) and was facing technical trouble.
Jaishankar said the circumstances at the time of docking and sailing were different, highlighting that India's decision was based on compassion.
The timeline of the docking
Iran asked to dock IRIS Lavan on February 28, 2026, just as U.S.-Israel strikes were hitting Iran.
The ship ran into technical problems near India during a visit for the International Fleet Review.
India gave permission by March 1, and the vessel arrived in Kochi on March 4.
Coincidence: A day before docking, IRIS Dena was sunk
Just as IRIS Lavan reached Kochi, the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine south of Sri Lanka (sadly, about 84 to 87 sailors lost their lives).
India jumped in to help Sri Lanka with rescue efforts using its own ships and aircraft.
Controversy over foreign warship in Indian waters
Some opposition leaders criticized the government's handling of the IRIS Dena incident.
Social media is buzzing too: people are debating foreign warships in Indian waters, especially with a US base nearby.