1976 pact with Lanka gave India sovereign rights in Wadge Bank

Posted on:
Key Points

Though the 1974 India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary agreement impacted fishing rights of Indians in Katchatheevu, a subsequent pact signed in 1976 bestowed sovereign rights in Wadge Bank, near Kanyakumari, for India...

The Wadge Bank, located near Cape Comorin (the area of the sea south of Cape Comorin has been generally known as the Wadge Bank), is within the exclusive economic zone of India, and India shall have sovereign rights over the area and its resources, the 1976 agreement reads...

However, at the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, and as a gesture of goodwill, India agreed Sri Lankan fishing vessels, after they were licensed by India to engage in fishing in the area for three years from the date of establishment of India's exclusive economic zone...

It was agreed that the number of Sri Lankan fishing vessels shall not exceed six, and their fish catch in the Wadge Bank shall not exceed 2,000 tonnes, in any single year..

You might be interested in

Sri Lanka recognised resource-rich Wadge Bank as part of India in 1976 maritime pact

02, Apr, 24

This occurred two years after New Delhi recognised Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory in 1974 deal. Wadge Bank was first commercially exploited by Sri Lankan fishing trawlers in the early 1920s.

What’s behind the Katchatheevu island controversy?

03, Apr, 24

PM Narendra Modi's tweet reignites Katchatheevu dispute between India and Sri Lanka. | Latest News India

Network-to-network agreement for UPI acceptance signed by India and Sri Lanka

21, Jul, 23

India and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement to introduce Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in Sri Lanka, which will increase Fintech connectivity, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The announcement was made during Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's visit to India.

India, Sri Lanka paid heavy price for Katchatheevu claims. Tiny island not worth obsessing over

03, Apr, 24

India’s strategic interests don’t lie in securing control of a tiny island. Instead, the real challenge India faces is containing China’s growing influence in Sri Lanka.