• Future Navy actions based on legal proceedings conclusion   

In a context where Indian fishermen continue to violate international maritime boundaries between India and Sri Lanka and several fatalities have also been reported on both sides due to incidents pertaining to such violations, the authorities have paid attention to resuming talks between the two countries.

This was noted by the Fisheries Ministry Secretary M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe, who explained that although discussions were earlier held with the participation of Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and Fisheries Ministry, and the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Indian External Affairs Ministry, they did not continue due to various reasons. 

He told The Daily Morning that in light of the recent tense situation, triggered by deaths on both sides, it has been proposed to resume these discussions. Noting that a large number of fishermen violate Sri Lanka’s maritime boundaries on a daily basis and use prohibited fishing methods, he pointed out the importance of resuming the discussions.

Fisheries authorities expressed these concerns in a context where several deaths and disappearances of both Indians and Sri Lankans have been reported in the recent past, sparking diplomatic tensions between the two countries. In the past few months alone, two persons, i.e. a Sri Lankan Navy officer and an Indian fisherman, died during the Sri Lanka Navy’s (SLN) attempts to apprehend Indian fishermen who had entered into and poached in Sri Lankan waters.

Earlier this month (August), an Indian fisherman died during an arrest attempt by the SLN, regarding which the media quoted the Navy as saying: “During the Navy’s efforts to seize some of the Indian fishing trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the trawlers attempted to evade the Navy with aggressive maneuvers, defying the Navy’s orders. During this incident, a trawler continued on its course after colliding with a Naval craft. Moments later, the Navy observed the trawler capsised and sank.” Indian media outlets reported that the Indian Government had summoned the Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in India and registered a protest over the incident, while the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo had raised the matter with the Sri Lankan Government.

In June, a Navy officer died due to injuries sustained in what the Navy described as ‘aggressive maneuvers’ by an Indian trawler. The mid-sea accident occurred during a Navy operation conducted on 25 June, which resulted in the apprehension of 10 Indian fishermen who were poaching in Sri Lankan waters and the seizure of a trawler used by them. Navy Spokesperson, Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya told The Daily Morning that any further steps with regard to the recent incident will be decided upon the conclusion of the ongoing court proceedings. Earlier, he said that a Navy-led investigation was being conducted into the incident, while the Police also initiated legal action against the arrested fishermen.

The Daily Morning’s attempts to contact the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency, and fisheries' organisations to inquire about their stance, were not successful.