AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for remaining silent after the US reportedly sank the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, calling it a “dereliction” of their constitutional duty. In a post on X, Owaisi said several questions remain unanswered about the incident and asked whether the Indian government was informed in advance by the US. He questioned if Washington had notified India before deploying a nuclear submarine near Indian waters to carry out the attack, especially given India’s role in the Quad and its strategic partnership with the US.

Owaisi also warned that such actions could set a precedent for the Chinese Navy to operate similarly in the region, asking whether the Modi government would continue to stay silent if that happened. He further questioned how India would respond if the US targeted other Iranian ships in the Indian Ocean.

He argued that silence on the issue could damage India’s reputation as a strategically sovereign nation and weaken its standing in global forums. Owaisi demanded that the government issue a clear statement condemning the attack and hold a press conference explaining its position. The Indian Navy has deployed INS Tarangini, INS Ikshak, and maritime patrol aircraft to assist Sri Lanka in search and rescue operations after IRIS Dena sank on March 4, about 20 nautical miles west of Galle, reportedly after being hit by a torpedo from a US submarine.

Of the around 180 crew members on board, about 87 are believed to have died, while roughly 32 survivors were rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy and taken to hospitals in Galle. Sri Lanka has also allowed another Iranian vessel, Irins Bushehr, to dock at a north-eastern port after it sought security amid the ongoing tensions involving the US and Israel.