Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 5: India has firmly rejected claims that the United States is using Indian ports to launch strikes against Iran, terming the allegation “fake and false.”

The clarification came after former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor, in an interview with the US-based channel One America News Network (OANN), claimed that the US Navy had begun relying on Indian ports amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

In the interview, Macgregor alleged that US bases and harbour installations had been destroyed and that American forces were “having to fall back on India and Indian ports,” describing the situation as “less than ideal.”

Responding swiftly, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked the claim through its fact-check wing.

“Claim: On a US-based channel, One America News Network (@OANN), former US Army Colonel Douglas Macgregor made a statement suggesting that the United States is using Indian naval bases to attack Iran, amidst the ongoing Iran-US conflict. This claim is fake,” PIB stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) also dismissed the allegation via its official fact-check handle on X, cautioning against the circulation of “baseless and fabricated comments.”

“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,” the MEA FactCheck account posted.

The government’s strong rebuttal comes amid heightened global tensions due to the ongoing Iran-US hostilities, with New Delhi reiterating its position against misinformation related to national security and foreign policy matters.