Premium

‘Selfies, sightseeing, shopping’: Before Iran warship was torpedoed, what the country’s sailors did in India

The IRIS Dena was in India last month for a naval exercise called International Fleet Review (IFR) Milan 2026

Written by: Sreenivas Janyala, Nikhila Henry

5 min readHyderabadUpdated: Mar 6, 2026 09:36 AM IST

The sailors were very taken with the glass skywalk at Kailasagiri, one of their Navy guides recalled. (Express Photo)

On the evening of February 19, a group of students from various colleges in Visakhapatnam stood on the steps of the Beach View Holiday Home hotel on R K Beach Road, watching sailors from several countries march past.

Among them were sailors from Iran, who were in India for the International Fleet Review (IFR) and Milan 2026 naval exercises. “The students were among thousands who turned up to watch the parade. I specifically recall seeing the Iranian contingent, though there were sailors from other countries too. It was quite a spectacle. They posed for selfies and took photos of the beach… As a hotelier, I always hope that whoever visits beautiful Vizag returns home safely,” said Suresh K, the hotel owner.

After the naval exercise, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was returning from Visakhapatnam when it was torpedoed by a United States submarine off the southern coast of Sri Lanka in the early hours of Wednesday. Most of the crew members on board the ship are dead or missing.

Opinion | Iranian warship sunk: The Indian Ocean must not become the war’s second front

During their time in India, some of the Iranian sailors visited the Rushikonda hilltop known as Kailasagiri, the Victory at Sea War Memorial, the submarine museum, and the Sankalp Art Village on the outskirts of Vizag. “Much of their time ashore was spent with naval officers,” an official said.

President Droupadi Murmu had also visited Vizag for the exercise, which saw the participation of 85 ships, including 19 foreign warships. The Indian fleet included 60 ships of the Indian Navy, four Indian Coast Guard vessels, and one ship each from the Shipping Corporation of India and the National Institute of Ocean Technology.

On February 19, as he inaugurated Exercise Milan in Vizag, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called on the international community to effectively tackle the evolving, complex, and interconnected challenges at sea while acting in the spirit of mutual respect and give-and-take, a PIB press release read.

The sailors had disembarked in Visakhapatnam days earlier, between February 13 and 15. The foreign naval officers also travelled to see the Taj Mahal and Bodh Gaya. “They experienced the beauty of Taj Mahal and the profound sanctity of Mahabodhi temple where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment,” a press note from the Visakhapatnam defence establishment said.

Story continues below this ad

Also Read | Iran FM Seyed Abbas Araghchi slams US, calls sunken warship ‘guest of India’s Navy’

At the march past on R K Beach Road, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, S Abdul Nazeer, was the Chief Guest. The event was hosted by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff. A naval officer said that the chief of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, and Abuzar Zarri, Commanding Officer of IRIS Dena, were also present.

“There were cross-deck visits by Iranian crew to Indian warships, and Indian Navy personnel went aboard the Iranian ship. Young officers interacted with one another,” an official said. “They were a jovial bunch. We all enjoyed their time here.”

“On their last day, they went sightseeing and shopping. They were impressed with the glass skywalk at Kailasagiri,” one of their Navy guides recalled.

“They were young men in their twenties, awed by the warm welcome they received,” a Navy officer said. “While shopping, they chose traditional Indian weaves for their families back home.”

Story continues below this ad

A member of the A P Gramin Vikas Bank, which has an office on the Beach Road, said, “It was a beautiful parade; I remember seeing the Iranian sailors. The day before, I watched the rehearsals. The sailors posed for selfies and interacted with locals. It is disturbing to know that those who marched past our beach road just days ago met this fate.”

In a post on X, Iran’s F oreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the IRIS Dena was “a guest of India’s Navy”. “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 U.S. will come to bitterly regret precedent it has set,” he wrote.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Loading Recommendations...

Apr 21: Latest News

Live Blog