Katchatheevu Island

Documents obtained through an RTI application has shed light on India's wavering approach to the Katchatheevu island dispute with Sri Lanka.

About Katchatheevu Island

• Located in the Palk Strait, which separates India and Sri Lanka, lies the small, deserted island of
• Fisherman from Sri Lanka and India rely heavily on the waters surrounding Katchatheevu as their fishing grounds. 
• Originally, under the Madras Presidency of British India, Katchatheevu was a princely kingdom that was a component of the Ramnad Kingdom.
• The island was incorporated into the Indian state of Tamil Nadu following India’s independence in 1947.

Details revealed in the document

• The documents show that Sri Lanka is making up for its small size by pursuing the 1.9 square kilometer of territory around 20 km from the Indian beach with tenacity.
• This is based on claims that New Delhi disputed for decades before finally giving in to.
• Soon after independence, Ceylon, then known as Sri Lanka, asserted that the Indian Navy, then known as the Royal Indian Navy, could not hold exercises on the island without its consent.
• In 1974, India’s then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi handed over the territory in Palk Strait to Sri Lanka.
• Multifaceted issues:The decision to cede Katchatheevu has been a source of contention in Tamil Nadu, particularly for fishermen who continue to face arrest by Sri Lankan authorities.
  • Handing over Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka has impacted Indian fishermen, mostly from Tamil Nadu, who often get detained by the Sri Lankan Navy.