Overview

• On July 13, seven Tamil Nadu fishermen and their mechanised boat were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy, prompting Chief Minister Stalin’s letter to External Affairs Minister Jaishankar.
• Another mechanised trawler was struck by a Sri Lankan naval vessel on the same day, suffering significant damage to its stern.
• Stalin’s appeal notes that 232 fishing boats and 50 fishermen remain in Sri Lankan custody after repeated detentions since early 2024.
• He called on the Union Government to deploy all diplomatic channels to secure the swift release of detained fishermen and their vessels.
• The dispute traces to unclear maritime boundaries and the 1974 transfer of Katchatheevu, with Tamil Nadu pushing for a formal bilateral fisheries agreement.