War Reaches India's Backyard. Now What?
On Wednesday, 4th March, something happened in the waters near Sri Lanka that should have made every Indian stop and think. A United States submarine fired a torpedo — an underwater missile that travels silently through the sea and explodes on impact — and sank an Iranian warship called IRIS Dena. At least 80 sailors lost their lives. This was not happening somewhere far away in the Middle East. This happened just off the coast of a country that shares the Indian Ocean with us.
The IRIS Dena was not doing anything suspicious at the time. It was simply returning home after attending the MILAN-2026 naval exercise near Visakhapatnam, an international event proudly organised by the Indian Navy last month. The ship was on what is called a peaceful passage — quietly sailing back through international waters, not threatening anyone, not engaged in any battle. And then it was gone.
This is what makes this incident so deeply unsettling.
The war between the US-Israel alliance and Iran was supposed to be confined to West Asia and the Gulf region. With this single torpedo strike, that war has now moved into the Indian Ocean — right into India's neighbourhood. The question every Indian should now be asking is simple: what does this mean for us, and are our seas safe?
To understand the full picture, you need to know what international maritime law says — because this is where things get complicated. The main rulebook for the world's oceans is called UNCLOS, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Think of it as the constitution of the seas. However, the United States has never signed this agreement. That alone tells you something important.
UNCLOS mostly covers peacetime rules — who owns which sea area, fishing rights, trade routes, and so on. But during a war, a separate set of naval warfare laws kicks in alongside it. Under these laws, since IRIS Dena was an Iranian Navy warship, it was technically considered a valid military target — regardless of where it was sailing or what it was doing at that moment. The Indian Express reported that several Indian Navy officers noted this uncomfortable legal reality clearly.
The UN Charter says in Article 2(4) that countries must not use military force against other countries. That sounds clear. But then Article 51 creates an exception — a country can attack in self-defence if it faces an armed threat. Additionally, the UN Security Council can give special permission for military strikes, as it did during the 1990 Gulf War. But getting that permission requires a majority vote, and none of the five permanent members — the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France — should veto it. Veto power means any one of these five countries can simply say no, and the entire decision is blocked.
It is also worth noting that the US Treasury Department placed official sanctions on the IRIS Dena back in February 2023. Sanctions are basically financial penalties and restrictions placed on a vessel or country — they don't prevent a ship from sailing, but they signal deep suspicion. At the time of the attack, the ship carried close-in weapon systems — rapid-fire guns used to shoot down incoming missiles or drones — and wider area defence systems. Despite this, it was caught completely off guard.
Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar (Retd), former Vice Chief of the Indian Navy and India's first National Maritime Security Coordinator, told The Indian Express that in the maritime domain, there are simply no fixed boundaries for war zones. Once a conflict begins, it has no clear walls on the sea. The fighting had already started after the ship left Indian shores, he explained. He also noted that since the attack happened inside Sri Lanka's Exclusive Economic Zone — the sea belt where Sri Lanka holds special rights over resources — rescue teams could begin operations relatively quickly.
However, Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai NM (Retd) raised a harder question. He pointed out that attacking a foreign warship on the high seas — international waters that belong to no single country — is generally considered illegal unless clearly justified as self-defence.
A senior Navy official, as reported by The Indian Express, called this strike a major escalation. The Iranian ship was not in a conflict zone. It was on a peaceful morning passage. Nobody on board would have imagined a torpedo was silently tracking them beneath the waves.
That is the terrifying reality of modern warfare at sea. There are no safe lanes, no guaranteed boundaries, no sacred stretches of water. The ocean is open — and today, it is deeply unpredictable.
India is watching. And India must think very carefully about what comes next.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a Defence, Aerospace & Geopolitical Analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or position of the publication, its editors, or its management. The publication is not responsible for the accuracy of any information, statements, or opinions presented in this piece.
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Actor Rahul's death: Film body demands fair probe, files police complaint
Kolkata (PTI): Amidst the controversy over the accidental death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee during an outdoor shoot near Digha in Purba Medinipur district, the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists' Forum on Saturday lodged a police complaint against the producers in connection with the incident.
Senior forum members, including actors Prosenjit Chatterjee and Santilal Mukherjee, told a press meet outside Regent Park police station that the complaint called for a fair and transparent probe into the tragedy.
"We want the real truth and exact circumstances behind the incident to come to light," a forum member said. Actor Rituparna Sengupta was also present at the briefing.
Banerjee's wife, Priyanka Sarkar, was also present but did not speak to the media.
"On March 29, during the shooting of television serial 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' at Talsari near Digha, our colleague and forum member, actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, tragically passed away due to an accidental drowning," the forum said in a statement on Friday night.
"In this regard, the forum, on behalf of its members, sought legal advice to ascertain the exact circumstances surrounding the incident. Accordingly, a formal letter was sent to the production house.... on April 1 seeking clarification," the statement said.
"However, the response received on April 2 was found to be unsatisfactory and inadequate. Since then, various opinions and concerns have also been expressed on social media regarding the incident," the forum said.
Mukherjee said in light of this, and after further legal consultation, the forum has decided to initiate legal proceedings.
Chatterjee said the forum would consult lawyers to decide the next course of action.
Meanwhile, several members of the Bengali film industry held a procession from Technicians' Studio to Radha Studio, a distance of around 1 km, carrying placards reading 'Justice for Rahul'.
The rally was led by several known faces of the industry, including actor-director Aparna Sen, Anjan Dutt, director Srijit Mukherjee, Kaushik Ganguly, actor-director Parambrata Chatterjee, actor Rudranil Ghosh, actor Riddhi Sen, actor-theatre personality Kaushik Sen, among others.
The rally was supported by technician federation director Swarup Biswas.
Earlier, the makers of 'Bholey Baba Par Karega' had expressed grief over Banerjee’s death and assured that the circumstances surrounding the incident would be examined transparently.
"The entire cast and crew are in profound mourning. We request a few days to gather accounts of those present so that a comprehensive and accurate report can be presented," the producers had said, adding that a representative nominated by the actor’s family or the forum could observe the process.
Police officials said according to eyewitness accounts, Banerjee and a co-actor were filming a dance sequence in knee-deep water when they slipped into an underwater ditch. Both were taken to a hospital in Digha, but Banerjee could not be saved.
Banerjee rose to fame with the 2008 Bengali film 'Chirodini Tumi Je Amar', directed by Raj Chakraborty, which starred him opposite Priyanka Sarkar and became a major hit.
Rahul, who had started his career in early 2000, acted in several critically acclaimed Bengali films and TV soaps after the blockbuster success of Chirodini in 2008 and also started hosting a podcast which gained popularity.
