Iranian Navy amphibious ship IRIS Lavan remains docked in Kochi nearly six months after India allowed it to enter the port on humanitarian grounds during the escalating Iran conflict. The vessel had sought emergency docking permission on February 28, the day the US and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran, citing technical issues requiring urgent attention. India approved the request on March 1, and the ship reached Kochi three days later.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar later told Parliament that the vessel was permitted to enter India on humanitarian grounds, while its crew was accommodated at Indian naval facilities. IRIS Lavan arrived with 183 personnel, with more than 50 reportedly remaining in Kochi as the ship stayed at the port.
The vessel had been operating in the region alongside Iranian frigate IRIS Dena in connection with the International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026. While returning towards Iran, IRIS Dena was sunk near Sri Lanka on March 4 after being struck by a torpedo reportedly fired from a US submarine. At least 87 people were killed in the incident.
India subsequently repatriated IRIS Lavan’s non-essential crew members on March 14 aboard a Turkish airline flight that had travelled to Kochi after transporting the bodies of sailors from IRIS Dena. The prolonged presence of Lavan in Kochi reflects the wider disruption caused to Iranian naval movements by the conflict, including emergency port access, crew repatriation and the loss of one of its accompanying warships.
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