SL freed 461 Indian fishermen in last 3 years, only 24 in SL custody-India

Sri Lanka has freed 461 of the 485 Indian fishermen detained during 2020-22 due to sustained efforts by the Indian government, Indian minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Indian fishermen are arrested from time to time by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the international maritime boundary and fishing in Lankan waters, he said in a written reply to a question in the upper house of Parliament, Hindustan Times reported.

“Government of India attaches the highest priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen. As soon as reports of alleged attacks on Indian fishermen are received, the government through diplomatic channels takes up the matter with the government of Sri Lanka,” he said.

According to available information, a total of 485 Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy over the past three years. This included 74 fishermen in 2020, 159 in 2021 and 252 in 2022.

The Sri Lankan authorities confiscated 11 Indian boats in 2020, 20 in 2021 and 35 in 2022.

“Due to sustained efforts by the government, 461 of these fishermen have been released,” Muraleedharan said, adding that 24 Indian fishermen were still in Sri Lankan custody as of December 2.

“Issues relating to Indian fishermen have been raised at the highest levels, including by our Prime Minister with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister during the virtual bilateral summit held in September 2020,” Muraleedharan said.

The matter was also raised by external affairs minister S Jaishankar during his visit to Colombo in January 2021. Jaishankar met Sri Lanka’s fisheries minister and discussed all issues related to Indian fishermen.

The issue was also taken up during the foreign secretary’s discussions with Sri Lankan dignitaries during his visit to Colombo in October 2021.

“The need to deal with issues pertaining to fishermen in a humanitarian manner was reiterated to the government of Sri Lanka. It was also stressed that existing understandings between the two governments in that regard must be strictly observed and both sides should ensure that there was no use of force under any circumstances,” Muraleedharan said.

On January 15, 2022, Jaishankar discussed the early release of Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody during his virtual meeting with Sri Lanka’s finance minister and at his meeting with Sri Lanka’s foreign minister during the latter’s visit to India in February this year. The issue was also taken up during the visit of Sri Lanka’s finance minister in March.