New Delhi [India], October 17 (ANI): Terming the fishermen issue a “sensitive one,” Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya asserted that her country needs to protect the livelihoods of its fishermen and said both nations will hold further talks to find a practical solution.
Her remarks came hours after she met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during which the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including the welfare of fishermen.
India and Sri Lanka continue to face tensions over fishermen from Tamil Nadu entering Sri Lankan waters near Katchatheevu, sparking disputes over livelihoods and maritime boundaries.
When asked by ANI about the fishermen’s discussion, Amarasuriya said, “That is an ongoing issue and something that needs to be discussed. We need to protect the livelihoods of our fishermen as well, but we understand that it’s a sensitive issue, and we will continue to talk about it.”
Indicating that there would be more discussions, she added: “It is important for both our countries to ensure that the communities dependent on fishing are supported, and we will maintain dialogue to find practical solutions.”
The fishermen’s issue has long been a contentious one between the two countries. The dispute remains one of the most sensitive aspects of India-Sri Lanka relations, with Sri Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegal entry into the island nation’s territorial waters.
The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter and said that the two covered a broad range of areas, including education, women’s empowerment, innovation, development cooperation, and the welfare of our fishermen.
“..As close neighbours, our cooperation holds immense importance for the prosperity of our two peoples as well as the shared region,” he posted on X.
Amarasuriya also said she had “a very good meeting” with Prime Minister Modi, during which they discussed ways to further collaborate in the education sector, including infrastructure development.
Harini Amarasuriya, who is on a three-day visit to India, had multiple engagements with educational institutions in New Delhi.
On the first day of her visit, she visited Hindu College, her alma mater. She also toured the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), interacted with researchers and academicians, and later visited Sarvodaya Co-Ed Vidyalaya in Rohini.
Sri Lanka is looking to deepen collaboration with India in the education sector.
When asked how the two countries can work together in this area, Amarasuriya, who is also the Education Minister, said,
“We already have many collaborations underway. There’s been support from India for infrastructure development in education. However, we also discussed the possibility of forming more institutional collaborations. Prime Minister Modi gave me quite a few ideas about the education reforms underway here. We discussed our respective policies.” (ANI)
