Jairam Ramesh questions Centre's position after US destroys Iranian vessel in Indian Ocean, calls govt "timid and fearful"

New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Thursday questioned the Union Government's position after US destroyed Iranian vessel IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, remarking that he has never seen such a "timid and fearful" Indian government.
In an 'X' post, Ramesh expressed shock over no official response from the government over the issue, while highlighting its enormous implications for the country.
"This US action has enormous implications for India as well and it is shocking that there has been no official response to it till now. Maybe it should not be surprising since the Modi Govt has still not broken its silence over the targeted assassinations in Iran. Never before has the Indian government looked so timid and fearful," Jairam Ramesh wrote on 'X'.
Ramesh further stressed that the 13th edition of Indian Navy's flagship "MILAN" multilateral exercise was organised from February 19 to 25 in Visakhapatnam. The Congress MP said that the event was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, 18 warships from other countries lncluding the USA and Iran, also participated.
"The Indian Navy's flagship multilateral exercise, MILAN, was first held in 1995. The 13th edition was held in Visakhapatnam from Feb 19 to Feb 25 2026 with 18 warships from other countries lncluding the USA and Iran participating. The exercise was inaugurated by the Raksha Mantri. This makes yesterday's sinking of the Iranian warship that took part in the Milan exercise by a US Navy submarine in the Indian Ocean some 40 nautical miles south of Galle in Sri Lanka all the more extraordinary," Ramesh said.
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi once again cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of "silence" after a US submarine sank the Iranian warship "IRIS Dena" near Sri Lanka.
The ship was returning after participating in the International Fleet Review 2026 (IFR) and MILAN 2026 in Visakhapatnam.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said that the West Asia conflict has reached India's backyard and accused PM Modi of "surrendering India's strategic autonomy" when the country needs a "steady hand at the wheel".
"The conflict has reached our backyard, with an Iranian warship sunk in the Indian Ocean. Yet the Prime Minister has said nothing. At a moment like this, we need a steady hand at the wheel. Instead, India has a compromised PM who has surrendered our strategic autonomy," he said.
He also raised concerns over India's oil supplies being under threat due to tensions in the Gulf region.
"India's oil supplies are under threat, with more than 40% of our imports transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The situation is even worse for LPG and LNG," he said.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that the United States will come to regret its action of destroying the Iranian vessel IRIS Dena with a torpedo hit in the Indian Ocean.
In a post on X, Araghchi said, "The US has perpetrated an atrocity at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran's shores. Frigate Dena, a guest of India's Navy carrying almost 130 sailors, was struck in international waters without warning. Mark my words: The US will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set."
Araghchi's comment follows the confirmation on Wednesday by United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth that a US submarine had sunk the Iranian warship "IRIS Dena".
Around 180 people were onboard at the Iranian ship. Sri Lanka's navy said it recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 people, who were admitted to a hospital in Galle, on the south of the island, Euro News reported. (ANI)