COLOMBO, SRI LANKA — Sri Lanka and India are navigating a delicate diplomatic dilemma as they provide sanctuary to 434 sailors from three Iranian naval vessels targeted or threatened by the United States, as the Israel-Iran war spills into the Indian Ocean.
The ships—IRIS Dena, IRIS Lavan, and IRIS Bushehr—had participated in India’s multilateral MILAN 2026 naval exercise off Visakhapatnam before the US and Israel began bombing Iran on February 28.
Their subsequent fate has placed both South Asian nations in a complex legal and diplomatic position.
IRIS Dena, a frigate, was sunk by a US submarine torpedo on March 4 just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, killing at least 84 of its estimated 130-180 sailors.
Sri Lanka rescued 32 survivors, now hosted at the Koggala air force base.
IRIS Lavan, an amphibious landing ship with 183 sailors, docked in India’s southern port of Kochi on March 4, with crew hosted in naval facilities.
IRIS Bushehr, a supply vessel carrying 219 crew, entered Sri Lankan waters on March 5 and was escorted to Trincomalee Harbour, where authorities transferred 208 crew ashore.
Both nations have justified their actions on humanitarian grounds while maintaining neutrality. “Our approach is that every life is as precious as our own,” Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated.
Sri Lanka has granted one-month free visas to the rescued sailors under humanitarian protection.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told parliament on Monday that Iran sought permission on February 28 for three ships to dock, and India granted it on March 1. “We believe this was the right thing to do,” he said, noting Iran’s thanks for the gesture.
The diplomatic complexity deepens as different international conventions apply to each vessel. The 32 survivors of sunken IRIS Dena fall under international humanitarian law and could be repatriated.
However, the 219 sailors from IRIS Bushehr fall under the 1907 Hague Convention, requiring Sri Lanka to intern them until hostilities end.
Sri Lanka has sought guidance from the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Media reports suggested Washington was pressing Sri Lanka against repatriation, but a US State Department spokesperson affirmed respect for Colombo’s sovereignty.
India has not publicly addressed the status of its 183 Iranian guests, though officials say they will likely be treated similarly under the Hague Convention.
The incident has sparked outrage in Iran and across the Islamic world, with reports that the IRIS Dena was attacked during iftar while flying a white flag of safe passage—raising potential war crime concerns under the Geneva Conventions.
Meanwhile, the conflict has created additional humanitarian crises. The All India Seafarers Union has appealed to Prime Minister Modi to rescue approximately 1,100 Indian seafarers stranded on 37-38 Indian-flagged vessels in the Persian Gulf and surrounding high-risk waters.
Many vessels report communication breakdowns, supply shortages, and risk of attack following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
For Sri Lanka, economic consequences are mounting. The Tea Exporters Association warns disruptions could cost US$10-15 million weekly in export earnings, as the Middle East accounts for about 52 percent of Ceylon tea exports.
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