India dismissed the allegations circulating online that the United States Navy has been using Indian ports to conduct military operations against Iran, calling the claims false and misleading.

The clarification came from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Wednesday, March 4, which issued a rebuttal through its official FactCheck social media account after the claims gained traction online.

The controversy reportedly began after a segment aired by One America News Network (OAN), a conservative television broadcaster based in the United States. The channel reportedly claimed that American warships were using Indian naval facilities to stage operations targeting Iranian assets.

The broadcast, quoting unnamed “military sources”, suggested that the alleged arrangement was part of a broader strategic alignment between India and the United States to counter Iran’s influence in the Persian Gulf.

As the claim spread across social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Telegram, the MEA responded with a categorical denial.

Fake News Alert!” the MEA Fact Check said in a post on X.

“Claims being made on OAN, a US-based channel, that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments,” it added.

Fake News Alert!

Claims being made on OAN, a US based channel that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments.

Government monitoring evolving West Asia tensions

The government’s response comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia following a series of military developments involving the United States, Israel and Iran.

Earlier this week, the MEA also reiterated that safeguarding Indian nationals living in the Gulf region remains a key concern for New Delhi.

According to the ministry, nearly one crore Indians live and work across Gulf countries, making the region strategically significant for India both economically and diplomatically, as per News18.

Officials added that the government is closely monitoring the situation and will take decisions based on India’s national interests. The ministry also said it remains in communication with governments across the region as well as with other international partners.

Strikes and retaliation intensify regional conflict

The denial also comes in the wake of coordinated airstrikes carried out by the United States and Israel on February 28 across several Iranian cities. The strikes reportedly targeted military command centres, air defence systems, missile facilities and other strategic installations.

The operation led to the death of Ali Khamenei along with four senior Iranian military and security officials, with large explosions reported in Tehran and other major cities.

Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drones targeting US-linked and allied locations across the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, further escalating the conflict in West Asia.
Source: CNBCTV18