An Iranian warship was invited, along with the U.S., to be part of an Indian Naval exercise, and its sailors paraded on land before the president.

Submarines, long considered the most stealthy and lethal instruments of naval power, have returned to the center of military strategy.

And the sinking of the IRIS Dena is a reminder that the oceans — which carry most of the world’s trade and connect every continent — can also become flashpoints in conflicts that reach far beyond their shores.

The Bigger Question

The real issue may not be who fired the torpedo, but what it signals about the direction of international politics.

If naval diplomacy, multinational exercises, and international waters no longer offer even a temporary buffer from conflict, the risks of escalation grow dramatically.