Katchatheevu island issue: Katchatheevu island is an island of India. Know the details below; Katchatheevu island issue: Katchatheevu island is famous as “Barren island”. It is a 1.15 square km island. This Barren island is located at the Pak Street. Pak Street is situated between the India and Sri Lanka aquatic border.
Significance of Katchatheevu island
China is constantly trying to increase its influence in the Indian Ocean Region. Katchatheevu holds significant strategic importance for India. The island also plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of numerous Indian fishermen. It is particularly important for those hailing from Tamil Nadu. An RTI request regarding Katchatheevu submitted by Tamil Nadu BJP leader Annamalai. The subsequent reply has reignited controversy once more. Analysts suggest that the BJP is leveraging the Katchatheevu matter to gain traction in Tamil Nadu. It is a region where the BJP influence is limited.
History of katchatheevu island
The Ramnad Zamindari established it in 1605. He hailed from the Nayak dynasty of Madurai. He historically owned Katchatheevu along with 69 coastal villages and 11 islets. The Sethupathi dynasty benefited from the island by leasing it to the Dutch in 1767 and later to the British East India Company in 1822. This historical background forms the basis of India’s claim to the barren island. On the other hand, Sri Lanka argues that the Catholic Church on the island falls under the Jaffna Diocese. It supports their claim on Katchatheevu. The small uninhabited islet of Katchatheevu was transferred to Sri Lanka in the 1970s as part of bilateral agreements during Indira Gandhi’s prime ministership. It impacts the Indian fishermen in the area significantly. Katchatheevu had been under British Ceylon’s possession since 1921. According to S Jaishankar, following Indian independence, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru did not prioritize the island. He feared that it could strain relations with Sri Lanka unnecessarily. Despite the ‘Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Boundary Agreement of 1974’ Indian fishermen were still permitted to visit the islet. However, in 1976, the maritime boundary line in the Sethusamudram region was delineated. It put an end to Indian fishermen’s access to Katchatheevu. Naturally, Katchatheevu and the adjacent seas now fell under Sri Lanka’s jurisdiction.
