India Grants Emergency Docking to Iranian Ship Amid Tensions

In a significant move, India has allowed the emergency docking of the Iranian ship IRIS Lavan in Kochi, providing accommodation for its 183 crew members. This decision comes in the wake of rising tensions following the sinking of another Iranian vessel, IRIS Dena, by a US submarine. The request for docking was made urgently due to technical issues faced by IRIS Lavan, highlighting the complex geopolitical dynamics in the region. Read on to discover more about this unfolding situation and its implications.

By Narendra Chaudhary Mar 6, 2026, 22:28 IST

Emergency Docking of Iranian Vessel in Kochi

New Delhi: The Indian government has permitted the urgent docking of an Iranian vessel in Kochi, providing shelter for its 183 crew members, as reported by government sources on Friday.

The ship, known as IRIS Lavan, encountered significant technical difficulties and was granted emergency docking approval on March 1, following a request from Iran.

This request came shortly before the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka.

IRIS Dena was returning to Iran after participating in the Milan multilateral naval exercise hosted by India, where at least 87 Iranian sailors lost their lives in the incident.

Prior to the IRIS Dena sinking, Iran had reached out to India regarding the docking of IRIS Lavan, which was also present in the region for the International Fleet Review.

The request for docking was made on February 28, highlighting the urgency due to the vessel's technical issues.

Approval for docking was granted on March 1, and IRIS Lavan successfully docked in Kochi on March 4.

Currently, the crew members are being accommodated at naval facilities in Kochi.