The Way Forward On Katchatheevu, Palk Strait Disputes

India has maintained responsible regional engagement through Panchsheel, NAM, SAARC, Neighbourhood First, and the Gujral Doctrine. Challenges like Palk Strait and Katchatheevu disputes were discussed in PM’s April 2025 Colombo visit, emphasizing a humane balance.

About Palk Strait Dispute

• Shared Fishing Heritage: Tamil Nadu and Northern Sri Lanka’s communities have fished in the Palk Strait for centuries.
• Current Source of Tension: Indian mechanised trawlers cross into Sri Lankan waters and carry out bottom trawling.
• Ecological Damage: Bottom trawling, banned in Sri Lanka since 2017, destroys coral reefs, shrimp habitats, and fish stocks.
• Impact on Artisanal Fishers: Traditional Tamil Nadu fishers face depleted near-shore resources and are pushed into contested waters.
  • The conflict is not solely between India and Sri Lanka, but rather “commercial greed versus survival,” as even small-scale artisanal fishermen in Tamil Nadu are impacted by large trawlers, forcing them into Sri Lankan waters.
• Related Laws: The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) lays stress not only on equitable use of marine resources but also their conservation.
  • Similarly, the FAO’s Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries 1995 deems destructive practices such as bottom trawling to be unacceptable.

About Katchatheevu Island Dispute

• Katchatheevu is a small, barren island (1.5 sq. km) with only a church (St. Anthony’s Church).
• The issue frequently arises in political debates, with allegations that Indira Gandhi “gifted” the island to Sri Lanka.
  • However, the cession of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka in 1974 was a “thought-out boundary settlement“. 
• Treaty Settlement: The 1974 India–Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Treaty placed it in Sri Lankan waters.
  • The Treaty is legally binding. Under international law, boundary treaties are sacrosanct (pacta sunt servanda)
  • India’s decision was based on historical evidence that showed Sri Lankan administrative control dating back to Portuguese and Dutch rule, and, earlier, to the Tamil kings of the kingdom of Jaffna.
• Relevant Precedents: In the Minquiers and Ecrehos case (France vs United Kingdom, the International Court of Justice 1953), the ICJ awarded sovereignty to the U.K., despite France’s historical claim through the Duchy of Normandy, because it had exercised administrative jurisdiction. 
  • Similarly, India conceded that Sri Lanka had the stronger claim. 
  • Another example is the Rann of Kutch Arbitration (1968) between India and Pakistan.
    • The issue is considered settled under international law due to a bilateral treaty, and repeatedly raising it in politics is seen as “political rhetoric” rather than a legal reality.
    • Fishing rights are a distinct matter — not linked to sovereignty over the islet.

Legal Framework of Sea Governance

• Concept of Historic Waters: The Palk Strait and adjacent waters were recognised as “historic waters” under Indian and Sri Lankan law — areas where sovereign rights are even stronger than in normal territorial seas. 
  • As such, there is no “right of innocent passage” or third-state fishing rights without explicit consent. 
• Judicial Precedent: Judicial recognition of historic rights dates back to the Madras High Court case of Annakumaru Pillai vs Muthupayal And Ors. (1904), which upheld claims based on traditional pearl and conch fisheries. 
  • Therefore, India’s acceptance in 1974 of the maritime boundary was not whimsical but legally consistent with historic precedent.
• International Obligation: The UNCLOS (Article 123) encourages cooperation in semi-enclosed seas — such as the Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar. Here, joint resource management is not just ideal but mandatory.
• Comparative Model: The Baltic Sea Fisheries Convention demonstrates how Latvia, Poland and the European Union share quotas to conserve resources.

Way Forward

• Joint Resource Management: India and Sri Lanka should set equitable quotas for catch and fishing days.
• Research Collaboration: A joint marine research station on Katchatheevu can monitor resources and suggest sustainable practices.
• Deep-Sea Fishing Expansion: India must invest in deep-sea fishing in its 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), reducing pressure on near-shore waters and lessening illegal crossings.
• Multi-Level Cooperation: Solutions must combine central government talks, Tamil Nadu–Northern Province engagement, and community-level dialogue.
• Promoting Empathy: People-to-people contact and responsible media coverage are essential to reduce hostility and preserve cultural ties.

Conclusion

A collaborative fisheries regime, deep-sea alternatives, and respect for legal agreements can transform India–Sri Lanka fishers’ ties from conflict to cooperation, ensuring peace, prosperity, and mutual respect in the South Asian diplomatic vision.