The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said that the Islamic Republic of Iran Ship (IRIS) Lavan continues to remain docked at Kochi in Kerala, while non-essential crew members departed India on a chartered flight arranged by Iranian authorities along with other stranded Iranian nationals.
Addressing an inter-ministerial briefing on the recent development in West Asia, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the flight departed from Kochi and carried non-essential members of the crew of IRIS Lavan, along with several other Iranians who were stranded in India due to widespread flight disruptions amid the conflict.
“Owing to the widespread flight disruption, several Iranians were stranded in India. The Iranian authorities arranged chartered flights to take back these stranded nationals,” he said.
“The flight took off from Kochi and also included the non-essential members of IRIS Lavan, which remains docked in Kochi,” Jaiswal added.
IRIS Lavan, which took part in the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 from February 15-25, was earlier docked in Kochi after developing technical issues.
The crew from the Iranian vessel approached India, days before the IRIS Dena incident, which was sunk on March 4 after being struck by a US submarine torpedo approximately 20 nautical miles west of Galle, Sri Lanka.
IRIS Lavan was in the region as part of the Iranian naval presence for the International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026.
The request from Iran was received on February 28, seeking urgent docking support for the vessel due to technical problems with approval accorded for the docking on March 1. IRIS LAVAN has since docked at Kochi from March 4.
Speaking on the wider regional situation, Jaiswal said that since the outbreak of the conflict in West Asia, India has been “calling for de-escalation” and dialogue while emphasising the importance of ensuring the uninterrupted transit of goods and energy supplies.
“Since the outbreak of this conflict, besides calling for de-escalation and addressing all issues through dialogue, India has continually emphasised that one of its priorities is to ensure the unimpeded transit of goods and energy,” he said.
He added that India has also called for avoiding attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, noting that the impact of the conflict is being felt globally.
Highlighting India’s diplomatic outreach, Jaiswal said New Delhi has remained in touch with key stakeholders, including members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Iran, the United States and Israel at political and diplomatic levels to convey concerns regarding energy security.
“In the process, the concerns of shipping lines were also addressed. As a result of multiple contacts, some ships destined for India have been able to cross through the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
He noted that two Indian vessels, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, have already crossed the strait and are heading towards ports in India, with several other ships in standby.
“Several of our ships remain on standby in the Gulf region. We propose to continue to remain in touch and coordinate with all concerned countries for safe and unimpeded transit in an effort to ensure our energy security,” he added.
On discussions within BRICS regarding the conflict, Jaiswal said that some member countries (Iran and UAE) are directly involved in the situation in West Asia, which has complicated efforts to arrive at a common position.
“Some members of BRICS are directly involved in the current situation in the West Asia region, which has impacted forging a consensus on a common BRICS position on the ongoing conflict,” he said.
He added that as the current Chair of BRICS, India has been facilitating discussions among member states through the Sherpa channel, with the last virtual BRICS Sherpa meeting held on March 12.
Jaiswal also said that India continues diplomatic engagements with global partners on the evolving situation.
“In the last several days, our External Affairs Minister has had conversations with leaders across the world. He also had a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the ongoing conflict in West Asia,” he said, adding that there have also been other high-level engagements with Russia on the matter and other issues.
The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other.
The conflict escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Due to the conflict in the region, Iran has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit route for global energy supply.