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India grants docking permission amid escalating conflict
New Delhi authorized three Iranian naval vessels to dock at Indian ports on 1 March, just days before one of them, the Iris Dena, was struck by a US torpedo in international waters near Sri Lanka. The incident has intensified scrutiny over regional maritime security and India's diplomatic stance.
Timeline of events
Iran formally requested docking permission for its warships on 28 February, the same day the US and Israel launched military strikes against Iran. India approved the request the following day. The movements of the vessels between 1 and 4 March remain unclear, with only one ship, the Iris Lavan, successfully reaching Kochi on 4 March.
The Iris Dena, carrying 130 sailors, was hit by a US submarine-launched torpedo approximately 23 miles (37 km) west of Galle, Sri Lanka, on 4 March. At least 87 crew members were killed in the attack, which occurred in waters under Sri Lanka's search-and-rescue jurisdiction.
Diplomatic and military fallout
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed the docking permissions in parliament on Monday, stating that allowing the Iris Lavan to dock was "the right thing to do." The Iris Bushehr, another Iranian vessel, sought refuge in Sri Lanka on 5 March due to engine failure, according to Colombo.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the attack as an "atrocity at sea," asserting that the Iris Dena was struck without warning in international waters, 2,000 miles from Iranian shores. The US, however, has framed the incident as a demonstration of its naval capabilities.
"This was the first sinking of an enemy ship by a torpedo since World War Two."
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
Regional tensions escalate
The attack marks the first military strike outside the Middle East since the US-Israel offensive against Iran began. President Donald Trump has identified the destruction of Iran's navy as a key objective of the campaign. Since the conflict's onset, approximately 20 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed.
Analysts note that the US maintains a robust submarine presence globally, with roughly a quarter of its fleet of 65-70 submarines deployed at any given time. The incident has raised questions about India's influence in the Indian Ocean region and its ability to navigate competing alliances.
Unanswered questions
The precise movements of the three Iranian warships after leaving Indian waters on 25 February remain unclear. The Iris Dena and Iris Bushehr's locations between 1 and 4 March have not been publicly confirmed. The BBC has sought clarification from both the Iranian embassy in India and India's Ministry of External Affairs.
