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

Jaishankar outlines India’s humanitarian and security responses in the Indian Ocean, emphasising naval support, regional rebuilding, and safeguarding merchant seafarers while engaging with Iran and neighbouring states.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar used the Raisina Dialogue platform to explain how India responded in the Indian Ocean after the sinking of the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena and why New Delhi allowed another Iranian warship, IRIS Lavan, to dock at Kochi during a tense regional situation, ANI reported.

Jaishankar stressed that India’s choices reflected a humane and responsible approach in nearby waters that are vital for national interests, including for millions of Indian workers and seafarers, many from heartland states such as Uttar Pradesh, who depend on safe sea routes and stable conditions in the wider Indian Ocean Region.

Indian Ocean response and Indian Navy cooperation

In the IRIS Dena case, Indian authorities reacted quickly once a distress message reached MRCC Colombo. The Indian Navy launched search and rescue operations, sending a long-range maritime patrol aircraft to support Sri Lanka’s lead effort.

Jaishankar described the loss of IRIS Dena as deeply unfortunate and contrasted it with India’s assistance to IRIS Lavan. He explained that New Delhi looked beyond legal debates and focused instead on humanitarian considerations. This emphasis on empathy and regional responsibility matched India’s broader role as a key Indian Ocean power.

Indian Ocean realities and strategic Indian Ocean context

Explaining the broader picture, Jaishankar urged people in India to see the Indian Ocean as it actually functioned, rather than only through social media debates. He pointed to longstanding foreign military footprints and new strategic ports that had emerged over decades around these waters, shaping the security environment that India must handle calmly and confidently.

"There are a lot of social media debates going on over this.... Please understand the reality of the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia has been in the Indian Ocean for the last five decades...The fact that there are foreign forces based in Djibouti happened in the early first decade of this century. Hambantota came up during this period," the Minister said.

Indian Ocean cooperation, IRIS Lavan and Indian Ocean Region links

Before IRIS Dena sank, Iran had contacted India regarding IRIS Lavan, which had joined the International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026 between February 15 and February 25. The vessel developed technical problems while operating south of Sri Lanka. Because of its proximity to Indian waters, Tehran requested permission for the ship to enter an Indian port for assistance.

The government approved docking on March 1, and IRIS Lavan arrived at Kochi after several days of sailing. The warship carried 183 crew members, including many young cadets, who disembarked and shifted to nearby Indian naval facilities. The episode highlighted India’s capacity to extend support to foreign navies while protecting its own security and regional stature.

"You had these ships, and we got a message from the Iranian side that one of the ships, which presumably was closest to us--to our waters at that point of time, wanted to come into our port. They were reporting that they were having problems. And so, my recollection is this was on the 28th, and on the 1st, we said, "Okay, you can come in." And it took them a few days to sail in, and then they docked in Kochi. And the ship is there. And obviously, the people on the ship, a lot of them were young cadets--that is my understanding. They have disembarked; they are, you know, in a nearby facility...

When they set out and came here, the situation was totally different. They were coming in for a fleet review, and then they got, in a way, caught on the wrong side of events. So for us, when this ship wanted to come in, and that too in difficulties, I think it was the humane thing to do. And I think we were guided by that principle. And in a sense, of the other ships, one obviously had a similar situation in Sri Lanka, and they took the decision which they did, and one unfortunately didn't make it. So I think where really approached it from the point of view of, in a sense, of humanity, of other than, you know, whatever the legal issues were. And I think we did the right thing," the Minister said.

Indian Ocean Region rebuilding and Indian Ocean development

Jaishankar said the Indian Ocean Region was going through a phase of recovery and restructuring, with trade routes, connectivity projects and national economies being repaired after recent global shocks. He noted that India had consistently invested diplomatic energy and development support in these neighbouring countries over the last decade, strengthening ties that also benefit coastal communities across Indian states.

"Indian Ocean Region is an ecosystem...Indian Ocean, much more than other parts of the world, is in the process of recovery and rebuilding. Individual states are doing that, but the whole region as a whole, restoration of trade patterns, connectivity...This whole rebuilding process of the Indian Ocean needs to be recognised... A lot of this requires hard work. In the last decade, Indian diplomacy has invested a lot in this process," he said.

He argued that any shared Indian Ocean identity had to rest on real projects, resources and long-term commitments, not just rhetoric. India’s central location and economic rise, he said, made it natural for neighbouring Indian Ocean states to gain from cooperation with New Delhi, including through joint infrastructure, energy and maritime security initiatives.

"If we have to build a kind of an Indian Ocean sentiment or identity, it has to be backed up with resources, work, commitments, practical projects... There are different dimensions of how you build the Indian Ocean... On why the Indian Ocean is the only ocean named after a country - we are right in the middle of it... With our growth, other countries of the Indian Ocean stand to benefit. Those who work with us will get more benefits... The rise of India will be determined by India... It will be determined by our strength, not by the mistakes of others," he added.

Indian Ocean security and Indian merchant ships

The Minister also drew attention to the high number of Indians serving on merchant vessels that pass through conflict-prone stretches of the Indian Ocean and beyond. Jaishankar said every attack on a cargo ship likely involved Indian crew members, and recent incidents had already caused deaths, underlining why shipping safety mattered for families across India, including in Uttar Pradesh.

"Indians are a large segment of people who man merchant ships. Every time there is an attack on a vessel carrying goods, it is very likely that a part of the vessel is manned by Indians... We should give a lot of weight to this because we have had fatalities in the last few days... There has got to be adequate recognition in the country about the interest of our people, the merchant mariners and what we could be doing to safeguard them. Our approach to the crisis is driven by the fact that we have 9-10 million people living in the Gulf. Their well-being is a factor just as much as that of merchant shipping has to be... Countries have their own interests, their economic or energy concerns, and, naturally, our policies will take all of that into account. I felt the merchant marine part has not got the prominence," he said.

With inputs from ANI