After the exercises concluded, Tehran requested port access and logistical assistance for the ships as they prepared to return home. Indian authorities approved the requests on 1 March. However, only IRIS Lavan eventually reached Kochi port on India’s southern coast, docking on 4 March after reporting technical difficulties that required urgent support. The ship’s crew of 183 personnel, including naval cadets, were accommodated at Indian naval facilities while the vessel remained in port. Indian officials described the decision as a humanitarian gesture reflecting long-standing diplomatic ties between India and Iran.

Meanwhile, the other two vessels continued their journey toward Sri Lanka. Shortly after leaving the fleet review, the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena was struck by a torpedo fired by a United States submarine in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast on 4 March. The attack caused heavy casualties and triggered search and rescue operations in the area. Sri Lankan authorities reported recovering numerous bodies and rescuing several sailors during the emergency response.

The accompanying supply vessel IRIS Bushehr later reported engine problems while sailing near Sri Lankan waters and sought assistance. Sri Lankan authorities escorted the ship and brought more than 200 crew members ashore while the vessel remained anchored at the port of Trincomalee under naval supervision.

The sequence of events has drawn international attention, highlighting how a routine multinational naval exercise was followed by a rapidly escalating maritime incident. With multiple countries responding to distress calls and providing humanitarian support, the situation underscores the growing strategic sensitivity of the Indian Ocean amid broader geopolitical tensions.