Why did India give shelter to Iran’s warship IRIS Lavan? Foreign Minister Jaishankar gave the reason

New Delhi: Foreign Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has defended India’s decision to allow Iranian warship IRIS Lavan to dock in Kochi. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2026, he called it a purely humanitarian duty and said the decision was absolutely right. Let us tell you that Iranian ships had come to participate in India’s International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026 (15-25 February), but the situation worsened due to increasing tension in the region. The US Navy meanwhile sank an Iranian warship, the IRIS Dena, with torpedoes in international waters south of Sri Lanka, killing several sailors.

‘IRIS Lavan’s sailors are safe in Kochi’

Sri Lanka’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Center or MRCC responded to the ship’s distress signal and the Indian Navy also helped in relief and rescue operations, saving the lives of many sailors. Meanwhile, IRIS Lavan, which was involved in the fleet review, sought help from India due to technical glitches. Iran requested India on 28 February to grant shelter to the ship in Kochi. India gave permission on 1 March. The ship reached Kochi a few days later and docked on 4 March. It had 183 crew members, including young cadets. Now they are completely safe in Kochi.

‘I think we did the right thing’

Jaishankar said in the Raisina Dialogue, ‘They were coming for the fleet review, but got caught on the wrong side of the events. We looked at it from humanity’s perspective. I think we did the right thing. He supported the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law, saying the decision was humanitarian, even if the situation was worsened by geopolitical tensions. Rejecting the uproar on social media, Jaishankar told the reality of the Indian Ocean. He said that there has been a US base on Diego Garcia for 50 years, there have been foreign bases in Djibouti since 2000, and Hambantota has come into the limelight only recently.

‘If you work with us, you will get benefits’

Jaishankar said India has been creating an ‘ecosystem’ to restore trade and connectivity in the region for the last 10 years. He said India has worked hard in terms of resources, projects and commitments, and India’s growing steps will benefit regional partners. He said, ‘Those who work with us will get more benefits. India’s rise will be determined by our strength, not by the mistakes of others. Emphasizing the risks to the merchant navy, the External Affairs Minister said many ships have Indian crews in the midst of the war, and around 10 million Indians live in the Gulf. He said that India gives priority to their security, energy and economic interests.

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