New Delhi, March 9 Iran had sought India's permission for three of its ships to dock at Indian ports, and the approval was granted the next day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday, amid tensions in the Indian Ocean region following the sinking of an Iranian warship by the US last week.
In a statement in Parliament, Jaishankar said one Iranian vessel, IRIS LAVAN, docked in Kochi on March 4, and its crew members are currently staying in Indian naval facilities.
This was the first time a senior minister had said that Iran had requested permission for three of its ships to dock in Indian ports.
"The Iranian side requested permission on February 28 for three ships in the region to dock at our ports. This was granted on March 1. IRIS LAVAN actually docked on March 4 in Kochi. The crew is currently in Indian naval facilities," he said.
"We believe that this was the right thing to do, and the Iranian Foreign Minister has expressed his country's thanks for this humane gesture," Jaishankar said.
One of the three warships was IRIS Dena, which was torpedoed and sunk by a US submarine on March 4.
The sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena by the US off the coast of Sri Lanka triggered concerns about the potential expansion of the conflict in West Asia to the Indian Ocean region.
The warship was returning home after participating in the Milan multilateral naval exercise, as well as the International Fleet Review hosted by India. At least 87 Iranian sailors were killed in the attack.
Another Iranian warship was allowed to dock in Sri Lanka at its eastern port of Trincomalee.
The vessel, IRIS Bushehr, had sought permission to enter Sri Lankan waters, citing an engine failure.
In his remarks, Jaishankar also said that the government is fully committed to ensuring the country's energy security.
Global energy supplies have experienced some disruptions due to the escalating conflict in West Asia.
"In light of the implications of this conflict for our energy security, I also seek to address that particular concern. The government remains committed to ensuring that, taking into account the availability, costs, and risks of the energy markets," Jaishankar said.
"For us, the interest of the Indian consumer has and will always be the overriding priority. Where required, Indian diplomacy has supported the endeavors of our energy enterprises in this volatile situation," he said.
The external affairs minister also presented details of the advisories issued by Indian embassies in Israel, Iran, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia between February 28 and March 8, in view of the situation in West Asia.
"The conflict has continued to intensify, and the security situation in the region has deteriorated significantly. We have noted that, in fact, the conflict has spread to other nations with mounting destruction and deaths," he said.
Jaishankar said normal life and economic activities in the entire region were visibly affected, and in some cases, have come to a halt.
"We, therefore, reiterated our call on March 3 for dialogue and diplomacy and spoke up for an early end to the conflict. I am confident that the House joins me in expressing our sorrow at the loss of lives," he said.
"While any development that negatively impacts peace and security in the world is deeply troubling, this ongoing conflict is an issue of particular concern for India. We are a neighboring region, and understandably, have obvious stakes in West Asia remaining stable and peaceful," he said.
Jaishankar noted that one crore Indian citizens live and work in the Gulf nations.
"In Iran too, there are a few thousand Indians who are there for study and employment. The region is key to our energy security and includes many important suppliers of oil and gas," he said.
