India must boost IOR maritime security amid US-Iran tensions: Report
Synopsis
A Bulgaria-based journal is urging India to militarily back its maritime diplomacy in the Indian Ocean — and two alarming incidents near Sri Lanka and Diego Garcia show why the window to act may be narrowing fast.
Key Takeaways
A Modern Diplomacy report on 29 April 2025 urges India to lead maritime security coordination across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) .
India should leverage the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) to build a cohesive regional framework.
The US sinking of Iranian warship IRIS Dena occurred just 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka , highlighting proximity of conflict to Indian waters.
Two ballistic missiles were reportedly fired towards the UK-US base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
The report calls on India to back its SAGAR and upgraded MAHASAGAR (2025) vision with tangible military capabilities.
India must strengthen cooperation with littoral countries to conduct persistent surveillance across the vast Indian Ocean Region (IOR), according to a report published on Wednesday, 29 April 2025 by Bulgaria-based journal Modern Diplomacy. The report calls on India to leverage regional frameworks such as the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) to build a cohesive maritime security architecture amid escalating regional tensions.
Key Findings of the Report
The Modern Diplomacy report argues that littoral countries in the IOR must move beyond non-traditional security cooperation and develop a common framework to safeguard shared maritime space. It specifically flags the risk of spillover from conflicts such as the recent US–Iran escalation, which has already sent shockwaves well beyond the immediate theatre of war.
The report identifies India as the most militarily advanced nation in the region and urges it to take the lead in fostering coordinated surveillance, noting that maritime warfare transcends geographical limits.
Two Incidents That Brought the Threat Home
The report cites two specific incidents that underscore the vulnerability of the IOR. First, the US sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena in waters off the coast of Sri Lanka, reportedly just 40 nautical miles away from Indian shores. Second, the reported firing of two ballistic missiles towards the joint UK-US base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
Point of View
And bridging that gap will require domestic consensus as much as regional will. The IRIS Dena incident off Sri Lanka is a wake-up call — great-power conflicts are no longer safely distant from India's maritime neighbourhood. Yet the upgrade from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR, while symbolically significant, remains a normative framework without a matching enforcement architecture. India's credibility as the IOR's preferred security partner will ultimately be tested not by doctrine but by deployable capability and political willingness to act when allies are threatened.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Modern Diplomacy report say about India's role in IOR security?
The report says India, as the most militarily advanced nation in the Indian Ocean Region, must lead coordinated surveillance and security cooperation among littoral states through frameworks like the Colombo Security Conclave and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. It urges India to back its normative vision with concrete military capabilities.
What is the MAHASAGAR vision mentioned in the report?
MAHASAGAR stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, an upgraded version of India's earlier SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, adopted in 2025. The report argues that this vision needs to be supported by real military capabilities to be credible.
How did the US-Iran conflict affect the Indian Ocean Region?
According to the report, the US-Iran conflict led to the sinking of the Iranian warship IRIS Dena just 40 nautical miles off Sri Lanka, and the reported firing of two ballistic missiles towards the UK-US base at Diego Garcia — both incidents occurring within India's maritime neighbourhood.
What are the CSC and IONS frameworks?
The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is a regional maritime security grouping involving India and Indian Ocean littoral states, while the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) is a multilateral naval forum. The report recommends using both to build a more cohesive and coordinated regional security mechanism.
Why is IOR maritime security important for India right now?
The report highlights that the Indian Ocean has remained largely peaceful for decades, but recent incidents linked to the US-Iran conflict have demonstrated how quickly external conflicts can spill into India's maritime backyard, threatening energy security, shipping lanes, and regional stability.
