The issue of Indian fishermen, including 16 of them currently in custody, caught for allegedly violating maritime boundaries, is being taken up with Sri Lankan authorities at the highest level, Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.
On Thursday, the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 16 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu for the alleged violation of its maritime boundary while they were fishing near Katchatheevu and in the Gulf of Mannar.
“Barring 16, we have brought back all the fishermen from Sri Lanka. We are continuously working with Sri Lanka to bring back everyone, including the 16 fishermen currently held,” Mr. Muraleedharan said during the Question Hour.
He said that according to available information, in the last three years, a total of 329 Indian fishermen were arrested, of whom 305 were from Tamil Nadu. A total of 88 Indian fishing boats are in Sri Lankan custody, he added.
The matter was first raised by Congress member Su. Thirunavukkarasu and was associated by all members from Tamil Nadu.
Responding to the supplementary question, the Minister said that the safety and security of every Indian is a matter of utmost importance for the Narendra Modi government which is bringing back every Indian in distress from anywhere in the world. In this context, the Minister cited the evacuation of 22,500 Indians from war-torn Ukraine.
He said there have been periodic instances of Indian fishermen being apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and there is a “2+2 mechanism”, involving the Foreign Ministers and Fisheries Ministers of the two countries, to resolve the differences.
“We also have a joint working group, which is meeting on Friday. The Indian High Commission also seeks consular access and provides essential items to the fishermen in [Sri Lankan] custody,” he said.
Mr. Muraleedharan also referred to a recent incident involving the repatriation of 61 fishermen — 56 were from Tamil Nadu while the rest were from Assam and Kerala — who were brought back from Seychelles in an Indian Air Force aircraft after diplomatic negotiations.
With regard to a query on Indian fishermen being detained Pakistani authorities, the Minister said 577 fishermen are in Pakistani custody right now and India has been consistently raising the issues of their detention and the capture of fishing boats.
Since 2014, the Minister added, 2,140 Indian fishermen and 57 Indian fishing boats have been repatriated from Pakistan. He said that lists of civilian prisoners and fishermen of each country lodged in the jails of the other are exchanged on January 1 and July 1 every year.
“According to the lists exchanged on January 1, 2022 Pakistan has acknowledged [that it has] the custody of 577 fishermen who are Indian or are believed to be Indian,” he said.
