US EditionFact-Check: Is the US Using Indian Naval Bases to Attack Iran?
India's Ministry of External Affairs and Press Information Bureau rejected claims that US Navy used Indian ports, confirming operations occurred in international waters amid US-Iran tensions.
- On March 5, 2026, the Government of India denied that the US Navy used Indian ports, with the Ministry of External Affairs issuing a public statement rejecting circulating claims.
- The allegation then spread on social platforms such as X and Telegram, with retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor claiming US forces used Indian ports, prompting widespread debate.
- Indian authorities clarified that US military action occurred in international waters and noted the IRIS Dena had been part of a fleet review in Visakhapatnam, as per PIB's fact-check unit.
- The Ministry of External Affairs urged the public to disregard baseless claims on March 5, 2026, as the allegation spread widely on social media. It emphasized that Indian ports were not used for US military operations.
- The Government of India has maintained that it is not involved and that its territory is not being used for foreign military interventions, amid widespread misinformation and regional tensions.
24 Articles
24 Articles
Fact-check: Is the US using Indian naval bases to attack Iran?
Amid the Iran war, India’s Ministry of External Affairs' (MEA) fact-check team has strongly rejected recent claims suggesting that the United States Navy is using Indian ports as bases for military operations against Iran. It dismissed the allegations made by Retired US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor during an interview as 'baseless'
Is US using Indian ports to strike Iran? New Delhi fact-checks claim
India has dismissed claims that the US was using its ports to launch strikes against Iran, calling them “baseless and false.” The response came after a former US Army Colonel claimed that the US Navy was relying on Indian ports during the ongoing war with Iran.
Times of India
The Economic TimesIndia dismisses claim that US is using its ports for strikes on Iran as ‘fake and false’
India has strongly denied allegations that its ports are being used by the United States for strikes against Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs issued a clarification calling the claims fake and false. These assertions were made by a former US Army Colonel in a US-based interview. India's FactCheck division cautioned against spreading such baseless misinformation.
‘Baseless, fabricated’: India rejects reports of its ports being used by US in war on Iran
The response comes after US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor in an interview to Open America News (OAN) Network claimed: "Our bases are being destroyed. Our harbour installations are destroyed. We're having to fall back on India and its Naval ports."
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