Katchatheevu Island Dispute: Geography & Strategic Importance
Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 13, 2025
12
mins read
Katchatheevu is a small uninhabited island located in the Palk Strait, a narrow sea channel between India and Sri Lanka. The islet lies roughly halfway between Rameswaram (on India’s Tamil Nadu coast) and Jaffna (in northern Sri Lanka). It spans about 285 acres (approximately 1.15 square kilometers) in area.
It was formed due to a volcanic eruption in the 14th century. The island’s terrain is low-lying and barren - in fact, “Katchatheevu” literally means “barren island” in Tamil. There are no permanent residents, freshwater sources, or economic installations on Katchatheevu, making it unsuitable for habitation.
Despite its tiny size and uninhabited status, Katchatheevu holds outsized importance due to its strategic location. It sits in the middle of rich fishing grounds of the Palk Bay and near important sea lanes. The only man-made structure on the island is a Catholic shrine (St. Anthony’s Church) built in the early 20th century. Indian and Sri Lankan fishermen and devotees traditionally visit the islet during the annual St. Anthony’s festival, underscoring the shared religious and cultural links to the island.
Katchatheevu’s position makes it strategically significant despite its small size, as it sits amidst important fishing grounds and close to shipping routes in the Palk Bay. The maritime boundary agreement of 1974 placed this island on the Sri Lankan side of the line.
Why in the News?
Supreme Court Hearing (September 2025): India’s Supreme Court has scheduled a final hearing on September 15, 2025, to address petitions challenging the 1974 and 1976 agreements that ceded Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Resolution: On April 2, 2025, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union Government to retrieve Katchatheevu Island from Sri Lanka.
Historical Background
Pre-Independence Claims:
Historically, Katchatheevu was part of the domain of the Raja of Ramnad (Ramanathapuram) in Tamil Nadu. The Ramnad Zamindari, a centuries-old local kingdom, controlled Katchatheevu and several other islets as early as the 17th-18th centuries. The island was a source of revenue for the Ramnad estate - records show it was leased to the Dutch in 1767 and later to the British East India Company in 1822. These historical leases and the use of the island by Indians established India’s early claim over Katchatheevu.
Colonial Era Dispute:
During British rule, the question of whether Katchatheevu fell under British India (Madras Presidency) or British Ceylon (Sri Lanka) arose. In the 1920s, administrative surveys drew boundaries that placed Katchatheevu within Ceylon’s territory.
Ceylon (Sri Lanka) formally asserted its claim over the island around 1921, even though local Indian authorities also regarded it as part of the Madras Presidency. Thus, by the time India and Sri Lanka gained independence (in 1947 and 1948 respectively), the ownership of Katchatheevu was ambiguous and disputed between the two nations.
Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreements of 1974 & 1976
By the early 1970s, India and Sri Lanka decided to definitively settle their maritime boundaries to avoid conflict. This led to two key agreements that directly affected Katchatheevu:
1974 Maritime Boundary Agreement:
On June 28, 1974, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India and Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka signed an agreement demarcating the boundary in the Palk Strait. In this agreement, India formally recognized Katchatheevu as part of Sri Lanka. The treaty drew a boundary line through the narrow strait, placing Katchatheevu on the Sri Lankan side.
Article 4 of the 1974 agreement affirmed that each country would have sovereignty and exclusive jurisdiction over waters, islands, and continental shelf on its side of the boundary.
However, the pact also guaranteed Indian fishermen certain traditional rights: they would be allowed access to Katchatheevu for resting, drying fishing nets, and attending the St. Anthony’s church festival without needing visas or travel documents. Importantly, these rights were restricted to use of the island itself - not fishing rights in the waters around it.
1976 Maritime Boundary Agreement:
A follow-up agreement in March 1976 further clarified the maritime boundary and explicitly restricted fishing rights. Under the 1976 pact, fishermen of each country were prohibited from fishing in the other country’s waters beyond the designated boundary.
In effect, Indian fishermen lost any legal right to fish in the rich grounds near Katchatheevu or to freely enter Sri Lankan waters, and vice versa. The 1976 agreement extended the maritime boundary delineation to the Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal, and also affirmed that each side would respect navigation rights in each other’s exclusive economic zone as per international law.
Notably, these agreements were concluded as executive treaties without any constitutional amendment or parliamentary ratification in India, a fact which later fueled controversy.
Why India ceded Katchatheevu?
India’s decision to cede its claim to Katchatheevu in 1974 was driven by a diplomatic calculus. The Indira Gandhi government opted for a peaceful negotiated settlement of an old dispute rather than contesting a small island. This was seen as a move to strengthen friendly ties with Sri Lanka during the Cold War era and to prevent the Palk Bay from becoming a flashpoint. By resolving the boundary, India also gained Sri Lanka’s formal acceptance of Indian sovereignty over other areas, including the strategic Wadge Bank (a rich maritime area near the Indian coast) in the 1976 negotiations.
Wadge Bank
The India-Sri Lanka agreement of 1976 recognised the Wadge Bank as part of India’s exclusive economic zone, granting India sovereign rights over the area and its resources.
It is a continental shelf nearly 80 kilometres (50 miles) seaward from the coast of Kanyakumari.
The Fishery Survey of India has identified the Wadge Bank as a 4,000-sq-mile area bound by 76°.30’ E to 78°.00 E longitude and 7°.00 N to 8° 20’ N latitude.
Under the agreement, Sri Lankan fishing vessels and personnel were not allowed to engage in fishing activities in the Wadge Bank.
The agreement allowed Indian fishermen to use the resources in the Wadge Bank area.
It is a shallow zone with a nearly flat bottom topography and a continental shelf.
The Fishermen Issue in Palk Bay
Before the 1970s, Indian and Sri Lankan fishers freely crossed the Palk Bay’s shallow, fish‑rich waters, using Katchatheevu as a common stop for shelter, water, and drying nets. After the 1974-76 maritime agreements drew a hard boundary and placed Katchatheevu on Sri Lanka’s side, mutual access for fishing was barred, disrupting traditional routes.
As stocks declined on the Indian side—worsened by bottom‑trawling—many Tamil Nadu boats continued entering Sri Lankan waters near Katchatheevu, chasing migratory fish. This led to recurring arrests, boat seizures, and confrontations with the Sri Lankan Navy and Coast Guard. The dispute persists because fish ignore borders while coastal livelihoods remain tightly tied to the same shared fishing grounds.
Frequent Arrests and Clashes:
The result has been frequent arrests, boat seizures, and even violent confrontations at sea. Sri Lanka accuses Tamil Nadu fishermen of poaching in its territorial waters and using destructive fishing techniques (like bottom trawling) that damage marine ecology and Sri Lankan fishermen’s livelihoods.
India, on the other hand, has raised humanitarian concerns over Sri Lanka’s tough handling of trespassing fishermen. There have been instances of the Sri Lankan Navy allegedly firing on Indian fishing crews, leading to injuries and deaths, which inflame public anger in Tamil Nadu.
Humanitarian and Livelihood Concerns: The fishermen issue is not merely a legal question of maritime boundaries; it is a humanitarian and economic problem. Fishing communities in Tamil Nadu depend on the sea for survival, and the waters around Katchatheevu were traditionally among their fishing grounds.
Legal and Constitutional Debate
Constitutional question: The Supreme Court’s Berubari (1960) principle says ceding Indian territory needs a constitutional amendment by Parliament; critics argue Katchatheevu was given to Sri Lanka via executive agreements (1974, 1976) without such approval, by calling them “boundary adjustments.”
Tamil Nadu’s challenge: Successive TN leaders kept the issue alive—1991 Assembly resolution sought retrieval; in 2008, J. Jayalalithaa filed a writ in the Supreme Court arguing the pacts are unconstitutional and void without a constitutional amendment.
Case before the Supreme Court: As of 2025, petitions led by DMK leaders ask the Court to declare the 1974-76 agreements unconstitutional and affirm that Katchatheevu belongs to India; the judgment could set a precedent for how India can alter borders in future.
Strategic Importance of Katchatheevu Islands for India
Image Credit : The Print
Coastal security and surveillance: Sitting in the Palk Strait, Katchatheevu helps monitor small‑vessel movement, anti‑smuggling operations, and coastal trade between India and Sri Lanka.
Proximity and sensitivity: Only about 20 nautical miles from India’s coast, activities around the island can quickly affect coastal security and the fishing economy in Tamil Nadu. The bank is rich in biodiversity and a fertile fishing ground. The area around Wadge Bank records the highest organic production on the West Coast.
Geopolitics in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR): With growing Chinese presence in Sri Lankan infrastructure, even a small island can matter for signals, surveillance, and influence—raising Indian concerns about a potential foothold near its shores.
Sovereignty, EEZ, and diplomacy: Control shapes Sri Lanka’s maritime zones and resource rights; for India, managing Katchatheevu through cooperation (patrols, fisheries management) supports stable ties without unsettling wider maritime boundaries.
UPSC Previous Year Questions on Indo-Srilanka Relations
Q. Consider the following statements: (2020)
The value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade has consistently increased in the last decade.
“Textile and textile articles” constitute an important item of trade between India and Bangladesh.
In the last five years, Nepal has been the largest trading partner of India in South Asia.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans: (b)
Q. Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar? (2017)
(a) Sumatra
(b) Borneo
(c) Java
(d) Sri Lanka
Ans: (a)
Q. Elephant Pass, sometimes seen in the news, is mentioned in the context of the affairs of which one of the following? (2009)
(a) Bangladesh
(b) India
(c) Nepal
(d) Sri Lanka
Ans: (d)
Katchatheevu Island may be tiny and uninhabited, but it encapsulates a web of issues spanning geography, history, law, and diplomacy in India-Sri Lanka relations. The dispute over this speck of land highlights the tension between international agreements and local political sentiments. For India, especially Tamil Nadu, Katchatheevu symbolizes traditional rights and the plight of fishermen whose lives straddle an artificial maritime border. For Sri Lanka, it represents sovereign territory non-negotiable as a matter of national pride and legal principle.
Suggested Blogs
Indian Judiciary : Structure, Independence, Role, Reforms & Challenges
High-Yield Polity Guide for UPSC Prelims 2025 | Static Core, Current Affairs & 7-Day Sprint
16th Finance Commission of India UPSC: Terms of Reference, Challenges, Significance
UPSC Syllabus 2026: Complete IAS Prelims, Mains & Interview Guide
Preamble of the Indian Constitution, Meaning, Historical Background, 42nd Amendment
Anti-Defection Law in India: 10th Schedule of Indian Constitution, Amendments, Criticisms
External Linking Suggestions
UPSC Official Website – Syllabus & Notification: https://upsc.gov.in/
Press Information Bureau – Government Announcements: https://pib.gov.in/
NCERT Official Website – Standard Books for UPSC: https://ncert.nic.in
UPSC Notification 2025 was released on 22nd January 2025.
UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025 are available now.
UPSC Calendar 2026 is released on 15th May, 2025.
The UPSC Vacancy 2025 were released 1129, out of which 979 were for UPSC CSE and remaining 150 are for UPSC IFoS.
UPSC Mains 2025 will be conducted on 22nd August 2025.
UPSC Prelims 2026 will be conducted on 24th May, 2026 & UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted on 21st August 2026.
The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.
UPSC Result 2024 is released with latest UPSC Marksheet 2024. Check Now!
UPSC Toppers List 2024 is released now. Shakti Dubey is UPSC AIR 1 2024 Topper.
