Iran Warship: A recent attack on an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean by the United States has triggered a political debate in India, with opposition parties questioning the response of the government led by Narendra Modi. The incident reportedly occurred on March 4, when a US submarine allegedly struck the Iranian naval vessel using a torpedo.
Warship: Iran Condemns the Attack
Iran strongly criticised the strike, calling it a violation of international norms. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned the incident in a post on X, stating that the United States carried out an attack in international waters nearly 2,000 miles away from Iran’s coast.
According to Araghchi, the ship identified as Frigate Dena was carrying around 130 sailors and had been invited as a guest to an international naval event hosted by India. He accused the US of attacking the vessel without warning and warned that Washington would have to pay a heavy price for setting such a precedent.
Ship Had Participated in Naval Exercise
The Iranian warship had recently participated in the International Fleet Review-2026, a major multinational naval exercise hosted by India. The vessel had taken part in the event before beginning its return journey through the Indian Ocean when the alleged attack took place.
DON'T MISS
Earlier, Sri Lanka’s Navy reported that the vessel IRIS Dena sank in the Indian Ocean. Out of nearly 180 personnel on board, around 140 were reportedly missing after the incident.
Opposition Targets Modi Government
The issue has sparked strong reactions from several opposition leaders in India. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate criticised the government, saying the Iranian sailors had attended a programme in India as guests and were attacked while returning.
Similarly, Sanjay Singh accused the government of remaining silent despite the deaths of sailors who had participated in a military exercise hosted by India.
Priyanka Bharti also questioned why India had not issued a strong response, stating that the Iranian ship had attended the exercise at India’s invitation and was allegedly attacked by a heavily armed US submarine while returning.
Government Calls Some Claims Misleading
The Indian government, however, has dismissed certain reports related to the incident as misleading. The fact-check unit of the Press Information Bureau said that claims circulating in the media suggesting that the US used Indian naval bases to launch the attack were false.
The clarification came after comments from former US Army officer Douglas Macgregor were cited in some reports claiming that the US was using Indian naval facilities for operations against Iran.
Experts Raise Diplomatic Concerns
Despite the clarification, several strategic experts and former diplomats have raised concerns about India’s response. Former diplomat K C Singh said that silence should not be mistaken for diplomacy and argued that India risks being pushed into a difficult geopolitical position.
Former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal also commented on the issue, stating that since India hosted the naval exercise and invited the Iranian vessel, it had a moral responsibility to acknowledge the incident.
He noted that under the exercise protocol, participating ships are not allowed to carry ammunition, suggesting that the Iranian vessel may have been unarmed during the alleged attack.
