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Sinking of Iranian ship near Sri Lanka – Regional security concerns

06 Mar 2026 GS 2 International Relations
Sinking of Iranian ship near Sri Lanka – Regional security concerns Click to view full image

Context

  • An Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a U.S. submarine using a torpedo in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka.

  • The ship was returning from the International Fleet Review 2026 and naval exercises in Visakhapatnam.

  • The incident raised security concerns among Indian Ocean countries, especially Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Concerns of regional countries

Sri Lanka

  • Sri Lanka expressed concern that regional conflicts could spill over into the Indian Ocean.

  • The country is still recovering from an economic crisis, making it vulnerable to external shocks.

  • Sri Lankan leaders emphasised the need for maritime cooperation with India.

Maldives

  • Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed warned that the West Asian conflict is reaching the Indian Ocean region.

  • Maldives leaders highlighted India’s role as a “net security provider” in the region.

India as a “Net Security Provider”

India is increasingly seen as the primary security partner in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).

Key initiatives led by India include:

SAGAR policy

  • SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.

  • Announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015.

  • Focuses on:

    • maritime security

    • disaster response

    • economic cooperation.

MAHASAGAR initiative

  • MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

  • Expanded vision of SAGAR to promote regional security and development cooperation.

Major Indian Ocean initiatives led by India

Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR)

  • Located in Gurugram, India.

  • Monitors maritime traffic and security threats in the Indian Ocean.

  • Facilitates information sharing among partner countries.

Colombo Security Conclave

Members include:

  • India

  • Sri Lanka

  • Maldives

  • Mauritius

  • Seychelles

  • Bangladesh (recent participant)

Purpose:

  • Cooperation on maritime security, terrorism, cyber security and humanitarian assistance.

Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)

  • Regional organisation promoting economic and maritime cooperation among Indian Ocean countries.

Indian Ocean Conference

  • Annual strategic forum discussing geopolitics and security of the Indian Ocean region.

Naval exercises hosted by India (Visakhapatnam 2026)

India hosted navies from about 75 countries at three major events:

  1. International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026

    • Large gathering of naval ships for maritime diplomacy and cooperation.

  2. Exercise MILAN 2026

    • Multilateral naval exercise organised by the Indian Navy.

  3. Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs

    • Platform for naval cooperation among Indian Ocean navies.

Diplomatic implications for India

  • The Iranian warship was in the region because of India’s invitation to naval exercises.

  • Some experts argue that the U.S. attack ignored India’s sensitivities.

  • India faces a delicate balance between:

    • strategic partnership with the U.S.

    • long-standing ties with Iran

    • maintaining regional maritime stability.

Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)

Overview

  • The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a regional security grouping of Indian Ocean countries.

  • It focuses on addressing common security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

  • It strengthens maritime cooperation, security coordination and regional stability among member states.

Origin and evolution

  • 2011: Started as a Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation mechanism between:

    • India

    • Sri Lanka

    • Maldives

  • 2014–2019: The mechanism became inactive due to strained India–Maldives relations.

  • 2020: Revived and rebranded as the Colombo Security Conclave.

Expansion of membership

Current members:

  • India

  • Sri Lanka

  • Maldives

  • Mauritius (joined in 2022)

  • Bangladesh (joined in 2024)

  • Seychelles (joined in 2025)

Secretariat

  • The Permanent Secretariat of CSC is located in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Institutional mechanism

  • The CSC brings together:

    • National Security Advisors (NSAs)

    • Deputy National Security Advisors

  • The meetings aim to coordinate regional security policies and responses.

Five pillars of cooperation

  1. Maritime Safety and Security

    • Core focus of the grouping.

    • Includes maritime domain awareness, anti-piracy and secure sea lanes.

  2. Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation

    • Intelligence sharing and counter-terror coordination.

  3. Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organised Crime

    • Includes human trafficking, narcotics smuggling and illegal arms trade.

  4. Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure

    • Cooperation to address cyber threats.

  5. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)

    • Joint response to natural disasters and emergencies.

Prelims practice MCQs

Q. The Colombo Security Conclave primarily deals with cooperation in which region?

A. Arctic Region
B. South Pacific Ocean
C. Indian Ocean Region
D. Mediterranean Sea

Answer: C

Q. The Colombo Security Conclave originally began in 2011 as a trilateral cooperation mechanism among:

  1. India

  2. Sri Lanka

  3. Maldives

  4. Mauritius

Select the correct answer:

A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer: B

Q. The Permanent Secretariat of the Colombo Security Conclave is located in:

A. New Delhi
B. Colombo
C. Male
D. Port Louis

Answer: B



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