India has not officially requested to return the Kachchatheevu island : Sri Lankan Minister Jeevan Thondaman

India’s Kachchatheevu island near Sri Lanka

Colombo (Sri Lanka) – Kachchatheevu island, situated within Sri Lanka’s borders, remains a topic of interest as India has yet to present an official stance on its return. Sri Lankan Minister Jeevann Thondaman stated that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi maintains positive relations with Sri Lanka, there has been no formal communication from India regarding Kachchatheevu island. Thondaman emphasised that if India were to express any intention regarding the island’s return, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministry would duly respond. Recent remarks by Prime Minister Modi, accusing former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of ceding Kachchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, have sparked discussion. When questioned about these remarks, minister Thondaman reiterated the current lack of official communication from India on the matter.

Government transitions do not alter the borders : A Sri Lankan Minister

Another minister, speaking on the condition of anonymity to an English newspaper correspondent in India, emphasised that the geographical location of Kachchatheevu island remains within Sri Lanka’s borders. The minister underscored that once the boundaries are established, they remain unchanged despite changes in the Government. He added that the Sri Lankan cabinet has not discussed this matter, and there has been no communication from India regarding Kachchatheevu island.

The minister further emphasised that if the issue of Kachchatheevu pertains to the Tamil community, then it concerns Tamil people in both the countries. However, linking this to the Tamil fishermen’s predicament is erroneous. The minister pointed out that the primary issue with Indian fishermen is their utilisation of ‘bottom trawlers’ outside Indian maritime boundaries, which contravenes international maritime laws.