Katchatheevu Island may not seem like a big deal at first glance, but it’s been causing a lot of tension between India and Sri Lanka for decades. This tiny, uninhabited strip of land sits in the Palk Strait, right between the two countries, and is about the size of two football fields. No fresh water, no settlements—just a church and some coral reefs. But that’s not where the drama ends.
The island has been at the heart of a fishing rights dispute ever since India and Sri Lanka were under British rule. Fast forward to 1974, and the Indian government, led by Indira Gandhi, decided the island wasn’t worth fighting over. India gave up its claim to the island, thinking it wasn’t that important. Two years later, India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement that divided the waters around Katchatheevu, saying no one should fish in each other’s territory. The issue seemed to be solved.
But here’s where things got messy. The waters around Katchatheevu are rich with fish—something that’s become even more valuable now that fishing resources along India’s Tamil Nadu coast have dwindled. Over the years, Indian fishermen began crossing over into Sri Lankan waters looking for better catches. The Sri Lankan government, however, started cracking down on these boats around 20 years ago, and things haven’t calmed down since.
The number of Indian fishermen detained by Sri Lanka is staggering. More than 6,000 fishermen and over 1,000 boats have been caught in the conflict. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said that this long-standing issue needs more attention.
Sri Lanka, on the other hand, insists the matter was settled long ago. They argue that the 1974 agreement resolved everything, and they see no need to revisit the issue. But, with ongoing arrests and tensions flaring up regularly, it seems like the dispute is far from being buried in history.
