New Delhi, March 6 -- The attack on the Iranian warship Dina near Sri Lanka, while en route home from India for a ceremonial visit, has thrust New Delhi into an uncomfortable spotlight. The vessel, unarmed and invited by the Indian government, was not a military threat but a guest. Its targeting by the US Navy has ignited a debate that goes far beyond maritime security-it raises profound questions about India's moral obligations, its diplomatic posture, and its credibility as a rising power in the Indian Ocean.

The incident also unfolds against a backdrop of intensifying maritime tensions between Iran and the United States, stretching from the Persian Gulf to the wider Indian Ocean. In such a climate, even routine naval movements risk be...