New Delhi — India has rejected social media claims that US naval forces used Indian ports to launch an attack on an Iranian ship, after a US submarine sank an Iranian warship near Sri Lankan waters.
The Ministry of External Affairs posted on X that reports suggesting US vessels had operated from Indian ports were “fake and false” and cautioned the public against “baseless and fabricated comments.” The online claims were reportedly spurred by a clip on US channel OAN in which a participant identified as Doug MacGregor suggested Indian ports were being used by the US Navy.
Iran’s foreign minister, Sayed Abbas Araghchi, condemned the sinking, calling it “an atrocity at sea” and warning the US would “pay bitterly” for attacking a ship he said was in international waters. Araghchi said the frigate IRIS Dena, which had previously been a guest of the Indian navy and carried nearly 130 sailors, was struck without warning. He described the strike as occurring far from Iran’s coastline and denounced its precedent.
Pete Hegseth, speaking publicly, said a US submarine fired a torpedo and sank the Iranian navy vessel off Sri Lanka. Independent analysts and former Indian naval officers have weighed in on the incident and its regional implications.
Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) said India’s formal responsibility for the Iranian ship ended once it departed Visakhapatnam and entered international waters. Nevertheless, he added, as a close partner the US should have been mindful of India’s position and avoided action so close to Indian maritime areas. He also suggested the Iranian vessel could have sought refuge in an Indian port.
Rear Admiral M.D. Suresh (retd), former Chief of Staff of the Southern Naval Command, said the strike falls within the Laws of Armed Conflict as commonly interpreted. He also explained why Sri Lanka led rescue operations: search-and-rescue (SAR) responsibilities are divided into regions assigned to different maritime nations, and Sri Lanka’s SAR organization responded effectively and independently in its area.
Analysts note the incident signals a widening geographic scope of the West Asia clashes, with the strike occurring roughly 4,000 km from Iran and bringing the confrontation closer to the Indian coastline. Reports say several US warships have shifted eastward, reportedly out of concern over potential Iranian missile threats, but remain in international waters. India continues to deny that any US naval assets used its ports for the operation.
