Sri Lanka loses an estimated US $40 million annually due to the unauthorised extraction of aquatic resources by Indian fishermen, according to senior lecturer in International Human Rights Law at the Open University, Ramindu Perera.
While Sri Lanka has stepped up its efforts to prevent Indian fishermen illegally entering its territorial waters, Perera highlighted a significant rise in arrests of Indian fishermen over the past few years. In 2020, Sri Lanka arrested 74 Indian fishermen, and the number increased to 159 in 2021, 268 in 2022, 240 in 2023 and 535 in 2024.
“This increase in arrests suggests that more Indian fishermen are entering Sri Lankan waters. With frequent interactions between them and the Sri Lankan Navy, the likelihood of violent encounters has also risen,” he said.
Citing recent incidents, Perera said that a Sri Lankan sailor was killed last year due to the action taken by Indian fishermen, while two Indian fishermen were injured when they resisted the Sri Lanka Navy’s attempts to board their vessels.
Perera said that under a 1976 agreement between India and Sri Lanka, both nations agreed that their citizens would not fish in each other’s territorial waters. He called upon India to uphold its commitment. “Now India has to implement this,” he added.