IRIS Dena : India’s delicate balancing act in turbulent Indian Ocean

The attack on Iranian vessel by US Navy in close proximity to Indian waters is a cause of concern, with a number of strategic and geopolitical analysts started debating the matter.

Sinking of Iranian warship IRIS Dena by US submarine in the Indian Ocean, has brought the war to not only South Asia but to India’s backyard. Iran’s Moudge class multi-role guided missile frigate was attacked by a US submarine with a torpedo on March 4, 2026. This is when the ship was sailing back home after participating in the International Fleet Review 2026 in India’s Vishakhapatnam. The vessel had around 180 crew onboard and with over 100 reported killed. The attack on Iranian vessel by US Navy in close proximity to Indian waters is a cause of concern, with a number of strategic and geopolitical analysts started debating the matter.

Why the ship’s location matters?

The legal and strategic significance of IRIS Dena hinges not only on the fact that it was torpedoed but also the location of the incident.

The sinking of IRIS Dena occurred roughly 25-40 miles off the coast of Galle in Sri Lanka. This distance places the incident beyond Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, which extends 12 nautical miles from the shore. However, the location still falls within Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone that can extend up to 200 nautical miles. As far as the proximity to India’s Territorial Waters is concerned, the place is more than 200 nautical miles from India’s nearest coast to the location of sinking of IRIS Dena. That means it is neither in Indian territorial waters nor in the exclusive economic zone of India.

What matters here is that the Indian Navy exercises its dominance in the Indian........

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