India Allows Iranian Warship IRIS Lavan to Dock in Kochi Before US Sinks IRIS Dena

India allowed the Iranian warship IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi on March 4 after receiving an urgent request on February 28 due to technical issues aboard the vessel. The ship's 183 crew members have been accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi. This occurred days before the US submarine torpedoed and sank another Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, near Sri Lanka, killing at least 87 sailors. IRIS Lavan and IRIS Dena had participated in India's International Fleet Review and the MILAN 2026 naval exercise. Indian officials, including External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, emphasized that the docking approval was granted on humanitarian grounds amid escalating regional tensions.