IRIS Dena: The fragile order of the Indian Ocean |
“Whoever rules the waves rules the world”— Alfred Thayer Mahan
The sinking of the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lanka has sent ripples far beyond the Indian Ocean. It is not merely a military incident; it is a stark reminder that the world’s oceans urgently require a stronger rule-based order. When warships clash near busy maritime corridors, the stakes extend beyond geopolitics to global trade, maritime security and international law.
On 4 March 2026, the Iranian warship was torpedoed by a US submarine in waters close to Sri Lanka while returning from naval exercises hosted by India. The vessel had recently participated in a multinational naval event and was sailing back when the attack occurred roughly 40 nautical miles off the Sri Lankan coast. Rescue operations by Sri Lanka recovered dozens of bodies and saved several survivors, while many sailors remained missing.
Strategically, the incident is historic. It is the first time since the Second World War that an American submarine has sunk an enemy warship in combat. The Indian Ocean, long seen as a theatre of strategic competition among global powers, has suddenly become a site of direct naval confrontation. But beyond the tragedy and geopolitics lies a deeper question: who governs the oceans?
For centuries, the seas were treated as open highways of commerce and power. In the early twentieth century, US President Woodrow Wilson articulated the idea that the seas should belong to all humanity, not just to naval powers. The principle of freedom of the seas........