Indian Ocean ‘Warzone’: US Sinks Iran Warship Off Sri Lanka, Second Seeks Refuge
The Iran conflict has spilled over into the Indo-Pacific. Days after taking part in India’s MILAN naval exercise, the Iranian warship IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine near Sri Lanka while returning home — the first sinking of a warship by torpedo since World War II. The incident has sparked intense debate in India, raising questions about sovereignty, New Delhi’s neutrality and whether great-power conflict is reaching Asia’s maritime backyard. At the same time, Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a major oil shock across Asia, exposing the region’s energy vulnerabilities. Where will the war spread next? And how should India and other countries navigate these growing risks? In this episode, we examine the widening Iran conflict, India’s strategic dilemma and what this crisis reveals about the Indo-Pacific’s readiness for a potential future conflict over Taiwan. *Recorded on March 6, 2026 at 11am Taiwan Standard Time Host/Senior Producer: Yin Khvat Our guests: Mukesh Kaushik - Dainik Bhaskar Deputy Editor Roger Liu - National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) International Master’s Program in Asia-Pacific Affairs (IMAPA) Assistant Professor Mark Montgonery - US Navy Rear Admiral (Ret.)
