India Denies Reports That It Stopped Iranian Ships From Docking, Says All Vessels Allowed Refuge

Last Updated:March 08, 2026, 23:34 IST

India said it accepted requests to give refuge to all Iranian naval ships on humanitarian grounds without delay, after a US submarine torpedoed IRIS Dena off the Sri Lankan coast.

India has denied allegations claiming that it refused to allow Iranian vessels to dock amid the ongoing war in West Asia, asserting that it allowed refuge to all Iranian naval ships on humanitarian grounds without delay.

Top defence sources told CNN-News18 that India had accepted requests to give refuge to all Iranian naval ships without delay, after a US submarine torpedoed IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka. India has allowed IRIS Lavan, another naval vessel, to dock at Kochi due to technical issues.

Sources said all three Iranian ships – Dena, Lavan and Booshehr – had departed Visakhapatnam after the conclusion of the Milan multilateral naval exercise around February 25 and 26. They said the ships could not take refuge in India earlier because they left the Indian ports before the requests were approved.

The ships were on their way back to Iran via the Indian Ocean when US-Israeli strikes hit their naval bases, including Konarak, on February 28. At that point, Iran urgently requested safe harbour for the ships and asked for them to avoid being sent into the conflict zone, according to the defence sources.

India and Sri Lanka initially did not grant an immediate extended stay or refuge in Visakhapatnam or other ports before the US-Israeli strikes. However, Iran specifically requested for the IRIS Lavan be docked in India over technical and engine issues.

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On March 1, India approved IRIS Lavan’s request on humanitarian grounds, and the vessel docked in India with its 183 crew members being accommodated on naval facilities. On the same day, IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine some 35-40 nautical miles south of Galle, Sri Lanka.

On March 5, IRIS Bushehr experienced technical issues linked to slower speed and engine trouble near Sri Lanka, and requested for refuge, which was granted without delay, sources informed. Sri Lankan authorities on Friday said they were escorting the Iranian naval ship Booshehr to a harbour on the eastern coast and moving most of its crew to a navy camp near Colombo.

India Assisted With IRIS Dena Rescue

Earlier, the Indian Navy said aid a distress signal from IRIS Dena was received by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Colombo in the early hours of March 4, as informed by the Sri Lankan Navy. Following the alert, the Indian Navy launched immediate assistance. The Iranian army said on Sunday that at least 104 people were killed and 32 were wounded in the attack.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar on Saturday said that India did the right thing by allowing IRIS Lavan, facing technical issues, to dock at Kochi port on humanitarian grounds.

ALSO READ: ‘We Did The Right Thing’: EAM Jaishankar On India Allowing Iran’s IRIS Lavan To Dock At Kochi

“We approached the situation from the point of view of humanity, other than whatever the legal issues were and I think we did the right thing…" he said while speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2026. According to Jaishankar, the Iranian ships had initially set out to participate in a fleet review, but the regional situation changed dramatically due to the ongoing conflict, leaving them in a difficult position.

News india India Denies Reports That It Stopped Iranian Ships From Docking, Says All Vessels Allowed Refuge

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