Indian Navy’s statement regarding Iranian warship, said- immediately sent help as soon as message was received

Updated: 05-03-2026, 08.46 PM

What is the news?

Indian Navy’s statement has come out for the first time after the torpedo attack by a US submarine on Iran’s warship IRIS Dena while returning from India. The Navy issued a statement late Thursday evening saying it had received a distress message from the Iranian warship, following which it was immediately assisted. The Navy said it had immediately launched its search and rescue efforts and the search and rescue operations are still ongoing.

What did the Navy say?

“As per reports from the Sri Lankan Navy, a distress call was received from IRIS Dena at the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Colombo on the morning of March 4. The ship was operating in the search and rescue area under Sri Lanka, 20 nautical miles west of Galle. On receipt of the information, the Indian Navy immediately commenced search and rescue operations and immediately augmented the Sri Lankan-led search operation with maritime patrol aircraft,” the Navy said in a statement.

Search and rescue operation is still going on

The Navy further said, “Another aircraft carrying air-dropped life rafts and INS Tarangini, operating nearby, were also deployed. She reached the spot in the afternoon on 4 March. By this time, the Sri Lankan Navy and other agencies had started search and rescue operations. INS Ikshak has also left Kochi. She is conducting a search for missing persons trapped in the shipwreck.”

America attacked while returning from India

The Iranian naval warship named IRIS Dena was returning from a naval exercise in Visakhapatnam, India. Then, about 2,000 nautical miles away from Iran, America launched a torpedo attack on it by its submarine. There were 130 people on board the warship at the time of the incident. About 87 sailors were killed in the attack, while 32 people were rescued by Sri Lanka. Many are missing. US President Donald Trump called it a big victory.

Congress cornered the central government on the incident

Congress termed the US targeting of IRIS Dana, which was on joint exercise with India, as extremely unfortunate and criticized the foreign policy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Foreign Department Chairman Salman Khurshid called it a deep blow to Indian foreign policy. Kharge said that Prime Minister Modi failed to save India’s visiting warship from trouble, he is silent without giving any statement of concern and sorrow.