New Delhi

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday criticised the Centre over its silence on the reported US attack on the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in the Indian Ocean, calling it a “dereliction” of constitutional responsibility.

In a post on X, Owaisi questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar had not issued any statement on the incident.

He asked whether the Indian government had been informed in advance by the US administration before carrying out the strike near Indian waters.

“There are too many unanswered questions about the US Navy sinking the Iranian ship so close to Indian waters,” Owaisi said, adding that the government must clarify its position.

The Hyderabad MP also warned that such actions could set a precedent for other powers, including China, to operate militarily in the region and questioned whether India would remain silent if similar incidents occur in the future.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has deployed INS Tarangini and INS Ikshak, along with maritime patrol aircraft, to assist Sri Lanka-led search and rescue operations.

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The Iranian frigate reportedly sank on March 4, about 20 nautical miles west of Galle, after being struck by a torpedo from a US submarine. Of the roughly 180 crew members on board, around 32 survivors have been rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy, while dozens are feared dead.