Katchatheevu Island Dispute

The Katchatheevu island dispute, if handled with prudence, can become a symbol of cooperation rather than conflict.

Katchatheevu Island

Katchatheevu is an uninhabited speck between India and Sri Lanka in the Palk Strait.
It is of relatively new geological origin, being the product of a 14th-century volcanic eruption.
It lies northeast of Rameswaram, about 33 km from the Indian coast.
Only structure on the island is an early 20th-century Catholic shrine, St Anthony’s church. Devotees from both India and Sri Lanka make the pilgrimage there.
Katchatheevu is not suited for permanent settlement as there is no source of drinking water.

History of the Island

India and Sri Lanka had been claiming Katchatheevu since at least 1921 after a survey placed the island within Sri Lanka’s boundaries.
In 1974, the two governments signed an agreement and the island was ceded to Sri Lanka.
After the emergency was imposed in 1975, discussions took place between the foreign secretaries of India and Sri Lanka, and a set of executive orders was issued on the Katchatheevu issue.
The negotiations settled the maritime boundary between India and Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka gave India sovereign rights over a maritime patch called ‘Wadge Bank’ near Kanyakumari in 1976.

How the Island Became a Point of Contention Between India & Sri Lanka

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What is Tamil Nadu’s Position on Katchatheevu?

Katchatheevu was given away to Sri Lanka in 1974 without consulting Tamil Nadu state assembly.
There were protests against PM Indira Gandhi’s move, citing two reasons:

The historical control of the Ramnad Zamindari over the island.
Traditional fishing rights of Indian Tamil fishermen.
- In 1991, in the aftermath of India’s disastrous intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War, the Tamil Nadu Assembly sought retrieval of Katchatheevu.
- In 2008, then AIADMK supremo, the late J Jayalalitha, filed a petition in court saying Katchatheevu could not be ceded to another country without a constitutional amendment.
- However, GoI’s position has largely remained unchanged. It argued that since the island had always been under dispute, “no territory belonging to India was ceded nor sovereignty relinquished.

Importance of the Island for India

For fishermen: The loss of traditional fishing rights and frequent detentions severely affect the income and safety of fishermen in Tamil Nadu. Fishermen sometimes cross into Sri Lankan waters by mistake or necessity, leading to detentions, seizure of vessels, etc.
Strategic significance: The maritime domain is crucial in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).Even a small island like Katchatheevu thus becomes relevant as part of India’s broader security calculus.

Wadge Bank

The India-Sri Lanka agreement of 1976 recognised the Wadge Bank as part of India’s exclusive economic zone, granting India sovereign rights over the area and its resources.
It is a continental shelf nearly 80 kilometres (50 miles) seaward from the coast of Kanyakumari.
The Fishery Survey of India has identified the Wadge Bank as a 4,000-sq-mile area bound by 76°.30’ E to 78°.00 E longitude and 7°.00 N to 8° 20’ N latitude.
Under the agreement, Sri Lankan fishing vessels and personnel were not allowed to engage in fishing activities in the Wadge Bank.
The agreement allowed Indian fishermen to use the resources in the Wadge Bank area.
It is a shallow zone with a nearly flat bottom topography and a continental shelf.

Its Significance

The bank is rich in biodiversity and a fertile fishing ground. The area around Wadge Bank records the highest organic production on the West Coast.
It is one of the world’s richest fishing grounds and is in a much more strategic part of the sea than the island of Katchatheevu.
The low intensity of currents, waves, and tides makes it an ideal location for the accumulation of nutrients and fish food and has less impact on the fish and aquatic animals of this region.
The Wadge Bank waters are moderate in temperature (26˚-29˚C) but high in salinity ( 35.8 to 36.7% ), supporting many fishery resources.
This ground’s peak season is from July to October. Upwelling has been reported during the July-September period.
Fishes prefer this region for feeding and breeding purposes.

Banks

A bank is an elevation of the seafloor located on the continental shelf, over which the water depth is relatively shallow.
These features are of continental origin and can cover extensive surface area but do not extend thousands of meters into the water column.
Banks have summits less than 200 m (650 feet) below the surface, but they are not so high as to endanger navigation.
Banks whose tops rise close enough to the sea surface to be hazardous to shipping are called shoals.
Somewhat like continental slopes, ocean bank slopes can upwell as tidal and other flows intercept them, sometimes resulting in nutrient-rich currents.

FAQs

Why is Katchatheevu Island a point of contention?

It is a critical fishing area for Tamil Nadu fishermen, and the cession of the island to Sri Lanka has raised concerns over traditional fishing rights.

Can Indian fishermen visit Katchatheevu Island?

Indian fishermen can visit the island for religious purposes during the St. Anthony’s Church festival but cannot fish in its surrounding waters.

What legal challenges exist regarding Katchatheevu Island?

Various petitions in India have challenged the legality of ceding Katchatheevu without parliamentary approval.