Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2026 held in New Delhi, Rajapaksa said countries in the region must work together to maintain peace and protect international trade routes.
The discussion, titled “The Indian Ocean Faultline: Sri Lanka’s Geopolitical Balancing Act,” was moderated by journalists Rajdeep Sardesai and Nagarajan Dwarkanath.
Referring to a recent naval incident, Rajapaksa said the sinking of the Iranian naval ship IRIS Dena in waters close to Sri Lanka during the ongoing tensions in West Asia has raised serious concerns about regional security.
He said that the vessel had earlier taken part in naval exercises with the Indian Navy near Visakhapatnam.
According to reports cited during the discussion, more than 80 Iranian sailors were killed in the incident, while several survivors were receiving treatment at hospitals in Galle and Colombo.
“The Indian Ocean has long been considered a safe zone for international trade. This attack on a foreign ship has created a new and worrying situation for the region,” Rajapaksa said, calling for increased cooperation among Indian Ocean nations.
