India has strongly rejected claims circulating online that the United States is using Indian naval bases or ports to launch attacks on Iran. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the claim as “fake and false” and cautioned people against spreading such information.

The statement came after a video of former US Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor went viral on social media. In the video, Macgregor suggested that the United States Navy was relying on Indian ports during its ongoing conflict with Iran. He made the remarks during an interview with the US-based channel One America News Network (OAN).

In the interview, Macgregor claimed that US military facilities had been heavily damaged and that the American Navy had to depend on India. He said, “All of our bases have been destroyed. Our harbour installations are destroyed. We are actually having to fall back on India and Indian ports, which is less than ideal; that is what the navy says.”

Following the circulation of the clip, India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded through its FactCheck account on social media platform X. The ministry dismissed the claim and warned people not to believe such reports.

The MEA FactCheck account said that the claims being made on OAN were “fake and false.” The ministry also posted a message saying, “We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments.”

India has also expressed concern about the growing conflict in the Middle East. The government urged all parties involved in the situation to act responsibly and avoid further escalation.

In its response, India said it has “deep concern” about the ongoing conflict in the region and called on all sides to “exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians.”

The tensions in the Middle East intensified after the United States and Israel carried out joint strikes on Iran last Saturday. According to reports, the attacks resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who was 86 years old.

After the strikes, Iran retaliated by launching missiles targeting Israel as well as American military bases located in Gulf countries.

The conflict continued to escalate over the following days. On Tuesday night, an Iranian warship was sunk in the Indian Ocean after being hit by a torpedo fired from an American submarine. The ship, identified as the IRIS Dena, had been on a friendly visit to India at the time of the incident.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 87 people on board the vessel. Reports say it was the first time since the Second World War that an American submarine had attacked a surface ship.

By Thursday, the conflict had entered its sixth day with no signs of tensions easing. Reports indicate that more than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran during the fighting, while around a dozen people have died in Israel. At least six US troops have also been reported killed.

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the decision to carry out strikes on Iran. Both leaders said the action was taken because Iran posed an immediate threat.

Speaking about the operation, Trump said, “If we didn't do it first, they would have done it to Israel and give us a shot, if that was possible.”

As the conflict continues, India has maintained that it is not involved in the military actions and has rejected claims linking its ports to the attacks.