The sinking of an Iranian warship by a US submarine near Sri Lanka has raised concerns about the security of the wider Indian Ocean region, with a Sri Lankan lawmaker warning that the incident could also have implications for India. After a US submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa said the incident highlights how the ongoing war involving Iran has begun to impact the broader Indian Ocean region.
“This is a matter of grave concern for Sri Lanka as well as the Indian Ocean, and I am sure it is for India as well,” Rajapaksa told NDTV. “The war is being fought miles away and we can see action in the Indian Ocean just 40 nautical miles from the Gulf in Sri Lanka.”
The Iranian frigate IRIS Dena sank on Wednesday after a torpedo fired by a US submarine hit the ship in international waters within Sri Lanka’s search and rescue zone. Sri Lankan authorities said that the navy recovered 87 bodies and rescued 32 sailors after responding to a distress call from the ship.
Searches are still ongoing for dozens of missing crew members.
The incident occurred about 40 kilometers south of the coastal city of Galle, far from the Persian Gulf where much of the current conflict between Iran and US-backed forces is focused.
Questions for Columbo
Rajapaksa also questioned whether the Sri Lankan government had advance knowledge of the US military operation and said the authorities should clarify the matter publicly.
“I think the government of Sri Lanka must answer to the people of Sri Lanka and the rest of the world whether they were aware of this particular situation or this specific attack on this ship or whether they remained on alert,” he told NDTV.
He added: “If they remain on alert, they should raise this matter with the relevant authorities, especially with the United States.”
He added that transparency was necessary if Colombo was aware of military movements in waters near Sri Lanka.
“And if not, if they are aware of this kind of movement in the Indian Ocean and also in the Sri Lankan Economic Zone or the European Economic Zone of International Waters, the government must ensure that this is properly communicated to the Sri Lankan people and have an appropriate broader dialogue with regional partners as well,” Rajapaksa told NDTV.
Call for regional dialogue
Rajapaksa said this development should lead to broader discussions among South Asian countries, including India, on security in the Indian Ocean.
“I think this is something that the government of India and the South Asian region should also come together and look at this particular incident and take seriously,” he told NDTV.
He said that the situation highlights the extent to which small countries are affected by conflicts between major powers.
“There are international laws and regulations that must be respected and the sovereignty of every country must be respected and protected,” Rajapaksa told NDTV. “It is about the national security of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, the regional part of the world and Pakistan.”
“So this is something the district needs to put together.”
The strike is part of a broader war
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that an American submarine carried out the strike on the Iranian warship, describing it as part of a broader campaign targeting Iran’s military capabilities.
“An Iranian warship that it thought was safe in international waters was sunk by a US submarine. Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo,” Hegseth said at a Pentagon news conference.
US officials said the strike forms part of the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, with Washington stating that weakening Tehran’s naval forces is among its main goals.
