A U.S. submarine sinks an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, just miles off Sri Lanka. More than 80 sailors are killed. And suddenly, a war that seemed geographically confined to the Middle East is unfolding in waters that India considers its strategic backyard. For New Delhi, the questions are immediate and uncomfortable. What are the rules when a warship is sunk in international waters so close to the Indian Ocean’s major sea lanes? If a distressed vessel calls for help, do neighbouring countries like India or Sri Lanka have a legal or moral obligation to rescue the sailors? And at what point does humanitarian assistance risk being interpreted as taking sides in a war? In this conversation with Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar, a former Indian Navy officer with nearly four decades of service and one of India’s leading maritime strategists, we unpack the implications of the Iranian frigate Dena sinking for India.
