{"id":99338,"date":"2024-04-03T19:31:37","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T14:01:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/?post_type=current-affairs&#038;p=99338"},"modified":"2024-04-04T18:55:44","modified_gmt":"2024-04-04T13:25:44","slug":"katchatheevu-island-controversy","status":"publish","type":"current-affairs","link":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/katchatheevu-island-controversy","title":{"rendered":"Katchatheevu Island Controversy: Background, Concerns, and Way Forward"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Context<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, the <\/span><b>Indian Prime Minister\u2019s post on social media of \u2018callously\u2018 giving away the disputed territory of Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka in 1974<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has resurfaced the issue again.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>late February,<\/b> <b>fishermen<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> associations in Ramanathapuram district <\/span><b>boycotted the annual two-day festival, as a mark of protest against the Sri Lankan Government\u2019s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at the St. Anthony\u2019s Church, in Katchatheevu Island on continuing arrests of Indian fishermen.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 100.301%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevance for Prelims:<\/b> <a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/katchatheevu-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/katchatheevu-island-in-palk-strait\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island Issue<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/bridge-between-india-and-sri-lanka\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India-Sri Lanka Relations<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/india-sri-lanka-economic-ties\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India Sri Lanka Economic Ties<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Relevance for Mains: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island Controversy: Background, Concerns, and Way Forward.<\/span><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>About Katchatheevu Island<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu means &#8216;barren island&#8217; in Tamil<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Location: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island is a 285-acre uninhabited region in the <\/span><b>Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-99480\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132809737-660ea2ce3d7ac.webp\" alt=\"Katchatheevu Island\" width=\"500\" height=\"411\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132809737-660ea2ce3d7ac.webp 600w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132809737-660ea2ce3d7ac-300x247.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Katchatheevu Island Map<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is located <\/span><b>33 km off the Indian coast <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to the <\/span><b>northeast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">about 62 km <\/span><b>southwest of Sri Lanka\u2019s Delft Island.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Formation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island is a<\/span><b> tiny barren island<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and according to some official reports, it was created following a <\/span><b>14th-century volcanic eruption <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(hence,<\/span><b> relatively new in the geological timescale<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is 1.6 km in length and just 300 metres wide at its widest point.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Built by:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It was built in <\/span><b>1905 by Ramnad merchant <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seenikuppan Padayachi, intended as a halfway ground for Indo-Lankan fishers for drying nets or asylums during tempests.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99481 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132814951-660ea2cdee61f.webp\" alt=\"Katchatheevu Island\" width=\"396\" height=\"223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132814951-660ea2cdee61f.webp 750w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132814951-660ea2cdee61f-300x169.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 396px) 100vw, 396px\" \/><b>Features of Katchatheevu Island<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island is not suited for permanent settlement as there is <\/span><b>no source of drinking water<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the island.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>only structure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on the island is an <\/span><b>early 20th-century Catholic shrine \u2013 St Anthony\u2019s Church.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During an annual festival, Christian priests from both India and Sri Lanka conduct the service, with devotees from both India and Sri Lanka making the pilgrimage.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Significance of Katchatheevu Island:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The island had little strategic value then, but over the last decade, geopolitical dimensions changed due to the rising clout of China and its growing influence over Sri Lanka, making it <\/span><b>a location of strategic importance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Concern:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Katchatheevu Island is an unofficial battlefield between <\/span><b>Indian Tamil fishers and a Sinhala-dominated Lankan navy.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99482 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132828678-660ea2cc71208.webp\" alt=\"Katchatheevu Island\" width=\"456\" height=\"342\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132828678-660ea2cc71208.webp 400w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132828678-660ea2cc71208-300x225.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 456px) 100vw, 456px\" \/><b style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">Reason:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It is due to complex factors like <\/span><b style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">excessive trawling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the Sethusamudram region, contested <\/span><b style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">legacies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the <\/span><b style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">Lankan civil war<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the <\/span><b style=\"background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-family: var(--global--font-secondary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">bilateral irresolution of the Tamil question.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Katchatheevu Island Controversy and Agreements<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Background of Katchatheevu Island Controversy:<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the<\/span><b> early medieval period,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> it was <\/span><b>controlled by the Jaffna kingdom of Sri Lanka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the <\/span><b>17th century, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">control passed to the <\/span><b>Ramnad zamindari based out of Ramanathapuram,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about 55 km northwest of Rameswaram.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99483 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62.webp\" alt=\"Katchatheevu Island\" width=\"402\" height=\"540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62.webp 1191w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62-223x300.webp 223w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62-762x1024.webp 762w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62-768x1032.webp 768w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132834652-660ea2cc26c62-1143x1536.webp 1143w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 402px) 100vw, 402px\" \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It became part of the<\/span><b> Madras Presidency during the British Raj.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Katchatheevu Island Controversy:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In<\/span><b> 1921, both <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/india-sri-lanka\/#:~:text=Tamil%20ethnic%20issue%3A%20The%20Sri,been%20a%20concern%20for%20India.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>India and Sri Lanka<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, at the time British colonies,<\/span><b> claimed Katchatheevu <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in order to determine fishing boundaries.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A survey was placed, but a British delegation from India challenged this, citing <\/span><b>ownership of the island by the Ramnad kingdom.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The island was <\/span><b>under the control of the kingdom of Ramanad Raja,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> a zamindari from <\/span><b>1795 to 1803 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Ramanathapuram in the Madras Presidency.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement, 1974:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1974, <\/span><b>then <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/indira-gandhi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> made attempts to settle the maritime border between India and Sri Lanka.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Under the agreement, India \u2018ceded\u2019 Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the agreement <\/span><b>did not specify the fishing rights of Indian fishermen.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<table style=\"width: 100.301%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 100.445%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\" colspan=\"2\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b>Key Provisions of the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement, 1974<\/b><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 8.93574%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><b>Article 4<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 91.5096%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Sovereignty on Territory: Article 4 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the Agreement mentioned that<\/span><b> each State shall have sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction and control over the waters, the Islands, the Continental Shelf and the subsoil <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on its side of the Maritime boundary in the Palk Strait and Palk Bay.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 8.93574%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\"><b>Article 5<\/b><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 91.5096%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Access to Indian Fishermen:<\/b> <b>Article 5<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of the agreement made it clear that Indian fishermen were given access to Katchatheevu <\/span><b>for rest, for drying of nets<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and for the<\/span><b> annual St Anthony\u2019s festival<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and will <\/span><b>not<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> be required by Sri Lanka to obtain<\/span><b> travel documents or visas<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for these purposes.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Agreement of 1976:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this agreement, the two<\/span><b> countries drew the maritime boundary<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between India and Sri Lanka in the Gulf of Mannar and the Bay of Bengal and made it clear that the two countries will exercise<\/span><b> sovereign rights over the living and non-living resources of their respective zones.<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>India got exclusive rights over Wadge Bank (located near Cape Comorin).<\/b><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It ended the Indian fishermen&#8217;s visits to the island.<\/span>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Katchatheevu Island and the adjoining seas naturally fell within Sri Lanka&#8217;s jurisdiction.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Opposition to the Agreement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most of the Opposition including the DMK, AIADMK, Jan Sangh, Swatantara and the Socialist Party, opposed the agreement.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>In 1991<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then <\/span><b>Tamil Nadu Chief Minister<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, urged the centre <\/span><b>to retrieve Katchatheevu and restore the fishing rights for Tamil Fishermen <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Tamil Nadu Assembly <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">also <\/span><b>adopted a resolution demanding retrieval of Katchatheevu.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Legal Status:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even though there have been protests and petitions to get back Katchatheevu, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/jurisdiction-powers-supreme-court-of-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Indian Supreme Court<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has said that the<\/span><b> agreement made in 1974 is still valid.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>2014<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the major political parties of Tamil Nadu, AIADMK and DMK, approached the Supreme Court to declare the Katchatheevu agreements of 1974 and 1976, as null and void.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Stand by the Union Government:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In <\/span><b>2022, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">while referring to the two agreements of 1974 and 1976, said in the Rajya Sabha that Katchatheevu lies on the Sri Lankan side of the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line and the matter was <\/span><b>sub-judice in the Supreme Court.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Significance of the Signed Agreement<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>A Safety Move from Emanating Threats:<\/b> <b>India\u2019s \u201closs\u201d was minuscule compared to prospective strategic and political threats<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> emanating from Lankan territories and partners.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Strengthened\u00a0 Bilateral Relations: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 1974 agreement <\/span><b>addressed the maritime boundary dispute <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">between India and Sri Lanka and paved the way for better understanding.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The then-Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka,<\/span><b> Vincent Coelho, described the session as \u201ca masterstroke of statesmanship to the satisfaction of both India and Ceylon.\u201d<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Restoration of Image:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Katchatheevu\u2019s cession restored <\/span><b>India\u2019s generous diplomacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which, at international forums, such as the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/united-nations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UN<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reaffirmed the nationalistic outlook, <\/span><b>especially after India\u2019s role in the Bangladeshi War of Liberation.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li><b>A Diplomatic Masterstroke: Katchatheevu Island<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019s cession was an act of drowning the colonial divide-and-rule policy in the Indian Ocean. In return, the Indian administration secured the:<\/span><b>\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><b>Indian Ocean as a zone of peace <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the face of growing American and Soviet regimentation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Continued friendship with Sri Lank<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a in the face of an increasingly volatile South Asian neighbourhood.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>reprioritisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Lankan Tamil expatriates.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Legalised the<\/span><b> free mobility of Indian pilgrims and fishers to Katchatheevu.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Concerns with the Katchatheevu Island that India Needs to Address<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-99484 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132840986-660ea2ca43748.webp\" alt=\"Katchatheevu Island\" width=\"358\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132840986-660ea2ca43748.webp 600w, https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/untitled-2024-04-04t132840986-660ea2ca43748-240x300.webp 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Detaining of Indian Fishing Vessels &#038; Fishermen:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian fishing vessels and fishermen from Tamil Nadu are often held by Sri Lankan authorities.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the<\/span><b> last 20 years, 6,184 Indian fishermen <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">had been detained and <\/span><b>1,185 fishing vessels<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> had been seized by the Sri Lankans.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>2022, a Lankan court asked 13 arrested Indian fishers to pay a fine of Rs 10 million. <\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Challenge of Livelihoods for Traditional Fishing Communities:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Katchatheevu Island served as a traditional fishing ground for fishermen and its controversy has <\/span><b>restricted the mobility of traditional fishing communities in coastal waters.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is difficult for traditional fishing communities to sustain their livelihood and impact economic stability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Impact on Religion &#038; Cultural Values:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Katchatheevu Island controversy has impacted the<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cultural and religious values<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of the Indo-Srilankan region.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent <\/span><b>boycott of the annual two-day festival at St. Anthony\u2019s Church<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on continuing arrests of Indian fishermen.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Threat of Chinese Aggression:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the rise of assertive China in the last decade, and its exploits overseas, experts perceived a threat from a potential Chinese hold in the Katchatheevu and the entire Palk Strait.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: Hambantota<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a testimony of how vulnerable Sri Lanka has been to Chinese interference and presence in the region.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Internal Opposition:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The transfer of Katchatheevu Island was opposed, particularly from Tamil Nadu.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> In 1991, Tamil Nadu Assembly also adopted a resolution demanding retrieval of Katchatheevu.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It needs to be understood that the Katchatheevu cession was<\/span><b> not new and first in India. Earlier<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> land territories were also <\/span><b>ceded to Bangladesh and Pakistan.<\/b>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: disc;\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practically, there was no ceding (of the island) as earlier the maritime boundary was not demarcated and also the island contained <\/span><b>no practical, political, or even pastoral value<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Enforcement Challenges:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Successive Indian administrations, especially during and after the Lankan Civil War, were not successful in enforcing the agreements.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Other Issues:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tamil Nadu\u2019s continued<\/span><b> incentivisation of trawling <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and risky foraging across the maritime border,<\/span><b> ecological crises<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the deviations between Lankan bilateral and domestic policies.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In <\/span><b>2018, Sri Lanka amended its Regulation of Foreign Fishing Boats Act (1979) <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to amplify the penalty levied on trespassing foreign vessels to <\/span><b>charge anything between six million and 175 million SLR (local currency).\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Way Forward<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Stick to Signed Agreement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reopening old agreements would<\/span><b> set a bad precedent and will damage India\u2019s credibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> too. India needs to maintain its stand on the signed agreement.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Example: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there is a change in the original agreement, it would raise concerns for countries that have finalised land boundary agreements with India like Bangladesh.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>A Collaborative Approach:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to sort out the issues such as fishermen detentions and restriction on mobilities, both countries need to <\/span><b>discuss the issue and mutually come out with a win-win solution.\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both countries need to<\/span><b> collaborate on emerging issues and tackle them such as ecological crisis, health issues, <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-notes\/cyber-security\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>cybersecurity<\/b><\/a><b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> etc.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Need to Improve Relations with Neighbours:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India must work to improve and not deteriorate its relations in the neighbourhood.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the<\/span><b> Chinese aggressively making inroads and enhancing its ties in India&#8217;s neighbourhood <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">with its project- string of pearls, India must maintain <\/span><b>good relations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the neighbours for a <\/span><b>stable region.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 16pt;\"><b>Expand the Strategic Focus:\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/indias-foreign-policy-shift\/#:~:text=Innovative%20Methods%3A%20India%20has%20employed,extreme%20actions%20by%20the%20government.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian <\/span><b>foreign policy has evolved<\/b><\/a> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the past decade and now regions from the South Pacific to the African coast are integral to India\u2019s strategic focus.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"3\"><b>Example:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> India\u2019s new engagement with the<\/span><b> resource-rich <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/papua-new-guinea-warring-tribes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Papua New Guinea<\/b><\/a><b> in the Pacific Islands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the joint development of infrastructure on the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/current-affairs\/mauritius-agalega-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Agalega island of Mauritius<\/b><\/a><b>,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the collaboration with <\/span><b>Australia in the eastern Indian Ocean islands<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or the focus on <\/span><b>developing the Andamans to our east and the Lakshadweep to the west<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<span class=\"vc_button\"><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/sri-lankan-economy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sri Lanka Economy Returns To Growth<\/span><\/a><\/span>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.301%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"width: 100%; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; background-color: rgba(184, 165, 217, 0.53); text-align: left; vertical-align: middle;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><b>Mains Question: <\/b><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/analyse-the-geopolitical-significance-of-katchatheevu-island-in-the-india-sri-lanka-maritime-relationship-discuss-the-challenges-it-poses-to-bilateral-relations-of-india-sri-lanka-15-m-250-words\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Analyse the geopolitical significance of Katchatheevu Island in the India-Sri Lanka maritime relationship. Discuss the challenges it poses to bilateral relations of India- Sri Lanka. (15 M, 250 Words)<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100.344%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr style=\"height: 36px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 2933.8%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 36px;\" colspan=\"2\"><span style=\"font-size: 18pt;\"><b>Must Read<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 54.4983%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/ncert-notes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NCERT Notes For UPSC<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 2879.3%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/daily-current-affairs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC Daily Current Affairs<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 54.4983%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/blogs\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC Blogs<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 2879.3%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/editorial-analysis\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC Daily Editorials<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 54.4983%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/quiz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Current Affairs Quiz<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 2879.3%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-answer-writing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Daily Main Answer Writing<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr style=\"height: 30px;\">\n<td style=\"width: 54.4983%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/mains-previous-year-papers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 2879.3%; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; border-style: solid; border-color: #000000; height: 30px;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/upsc-test-series-courses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UPSC Test Series 2024<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Katchatheevu Island is a 285-acre uninhabited region in the Palk Strait, between India and Sri Lanka and is located 33 km off the Indian coast to the northeast of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, and about 62 km southwest of Sri Lanka\u2019s Delft Island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":99438,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"footnotes":""},"tags":[],"paper-wise":[2084],"subject":[2102],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/99338"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/current-affairs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99338"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/99338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99512,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/current-affairs\/99338\/revisions\/99512"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99338"},{"taxonomy":"paper-wise","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/paper-wise?post=99338"},{"taxonomy":"subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pwonlyias.com\/stage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/subject?post=99338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}