Timely visit of President to Katchatheevu

President Disanayake's unscheduled visit to Katchatheevu carried both symbolism and strategy

- 

ON 1 September 2025, Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Disanayake made an unannounced visit to Katchatheevu Island, a move that quickly reverberated across Colombo, Chennai, and New Delhi.

While Katchatheevu has long been a settled matter in terms of international law, the island has reemerged as a political flashpoint in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, due to renewed demands for its “retrieval.” Against this backdrop, President Disanayake’s presence on the island carried symbolic weight, signalling Sri Lanka’s determination to reaffirm sovereignty while responding to growing external pressures.

The timing of the visit is no coincidence. In recent months, Tamil actor-turned-politician Vijay and leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have raised the issue of Katchatheevu, presenting it as a historical blunder and a cause of hardship for Tamil fishermen. This convergence of cinema, politics, and diplomacy has transformed a small island in the Palk Strait into a test case of sovereignty, nationalism, and electoral calculation.

Historical context: The 1974 Agreement

Katchatheevu is a 285-acre uninhabited island located midway between Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu and Delft Island in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province. Historically, it was used by fishermen from both sides for drying nets and resting during fishing expeditions.

The dispute over ownership came to a conclusion in 1974, when India and Sri Lanka signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Agreement, under which New Delhi recognised Colombo’s sovereignty over Katchatheevu. This agreement was followed in 1976 by another accord delineating the maritime boundary and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the Palk Strait. The accords effectively ended India’s legal claim to the island, though they permitted Indian pilgrims to attend the annual St. Anthony’s Festival at the island’s church without visas.