New Delhi, Mar 07, 2026 — Senior government sources on Friday rejected allegations that India aided the US Navy with intelligence or the location of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which was struck by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4. Officials described the claims as preposterous and baseless and said they should be dismissed outright. They emphasized that India provided no assistance to US authorities or the US Navy in targeting the vessel.
Officials noted that existing logistics and communications arrangements with the United States were neither triggered nor invoked in this instance. They reiterated that any support under bilateral pacts is considered on a case-by-case basis and does not operate automatically.
New Delhi also warned against speculative commentary about recent defence agreements with the United States. Government sources said they had taken note of conjecture in media and commentary and advised caution when reporting on sensitive security matters.
India, the sources added, is keen to avoid being seen as taking sides in the current tensions, balancing historical ties with Iran alongside strategic partnerships with the United States and Israel.
The government reiterated the nature and limits of two key agreements with the US. The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA), signed in 2016, facilitates reciprocal logistical support such as refuelling, supplies and repairs during agreed activities like exercises and port calls, but it does not grant automatic access or obligate India to support US military operations. The Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), signed in 2018, enables transfer and use of secure, encrypted communications equipment on US platforms, but it likewise does not mandate or guarantee automatic provision of technology or operational support.
Sources stressed that both LEMOA and COMCASA preserve India’s strategic autonomy, with any request for assistance requiring mutual consent and specific invocation. They said there was no evidence that such processes were used in relation to the IRIS Dena incident.
