Sri Lanka has once again reaffirmed its legitimate ownership of Katchatheevu Island, despite repeated claims from Tamil Nadu.
As Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was preparing to arrive in Sri Lanka, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly adopted a resolution to reclaim Katchatheevu on Thursday (2).
However, the Sri Lankan Government is firm that this northwestern island which was recognised as belonging to Sri Lanka in 1974 will remain so.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning on Friday (4), Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar said that Sri Lanka’s claim to Katchatheevu Island was legitimate.
“This is something Tamil Nadu always says when an election closes in. But our ownership of the island is recognised by international law, it’s recognised by the United Nations,” he said.
Citing Tamil Nadu’s attempts to claim Katchatheevu in 1991, 2013, and 2014, the Minister said this was not viewed as a new development.
He claimed that Tamil Nadu’s reactions were a response to Sri Lanka’s enforcement of laws against Indian fishermen who fished illegally in Sri Lankan waters and that this topic always emerged close to elections in India.
The 2025 April resolution which was moved at the Legislative Assembly by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said that the “retrieval of Katchatheevu Island is the only permanent solution to protect the traditional fishing rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen and to mitigate the sufferings faced by them due to the Sri Lanka Navy,” The Hindu reported.
When asked whether Tamil Nadu’s claims to the island were on the agenda for discussion with Modi, he said: “I doubt this will even be talked about.”
However, if it were to come up, he assured that the Government’s stance would be that Katchatheevu belonged to Sri Lanka.
Modi’s arrival took place on the evening of 4 April and bilateral talks between him and his delegates and Sri Lankan leaders took place on 5 April. The Sunday Morning learnt from sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the Katchatheevu matter had not been discussed at an official level.
Media Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs S.N.M. Sakeef said that it was not on the official agenda for the visit. It is unknown whether the matter was or will be discussed at an unofficial level.
Following disputes over the island, which arose after the departure of the British who had been ruling the two lands prior to their respective independence, the 1974 agreement between Sri Lanka and India demarcating the boundaries between the two countries at Adam’s Bridge and the Palk Strait saw Katchatheevu falling within the boundaries of the former. However, the agreement allowed Indian fishermen and pilgrims to visit the island without travel documents.