INDIA SAYS KACHCHATIVU BELONGS TO SRI LANKA
The Central Government of India has emphasized that the Kachchativu Island belong to Sri Lanka and India had no authority to mediate in it. India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna made this assertion with regard to demands made by Tamil Nadu politicians that India should acquire the Kachchativu Island. The ownership of the island was vested in Sri Lanka based on agreements reached in 1974 and 76. This agreement received the nod of India’s Parliament. Accordingly India had no claims to the island. The issue related to the sovereignty and ownership of Kachchativu had already been resolved.
The Indian External Affairs Minister underlined that India had accepted this when demarcating the Sri Lankan and Indian sea limits. Responding to a query made by Tamil Nadu politicians with regard to the right of Tamil Nadu fishermen engaging in their profession in the environs of Kachchativu, the Indian External Affairs Minister asserted in Lok Sabha that Indian fishermen had no right to engage in fishing in the area as the Kachchativu Island belonged to Sri Lanka.
