Sinking of Iranian ship brings war to region, say Sri Lankan and Maldivian leaders

Sri Lankan and Maldivian leaders urge India to enhance regional security following the U.S. sinking of an Iranian ship.

The sinking of an Iranian ship by the U.S. in the Indian Ocean raises concern for the smaller countries in the region, leaders from Sri Lanka and the Maldives, who have gathered for the Raisina Dialogue here, said on Thursday (March 5, 2026). They called for closer communication on the issue with India as a “net security provider” in the region.

Indian diplomats also described the torpedo attack in the Indian Ocean, close to Sri Lanka, as concerning, especially given that the warship, the IRIS Dena, was returning on Wednesday (March 4, 2026) from multilateral exercises held with the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam last month.

The External Affairs Ministry did not respond to a question on whether India had raised the issue with the U.S. government.

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