335:(1187–1196 CE), the king of Sri Lanka, along with other nearby islands including Puvagu (modern Pungudutivu), Mininak (Maninaga), and Kara (modern Karaitivu). The inscription states that Nissankamalla visited these islands during his expeditions within his realm. Historical evidence suggests that Kachchativu Island has been under the jurisdiction of Sri Lanka since the era of the Portuguese, Dutch, and British. The British occasionally used the island as a naval gunnery practice range from 1920 onwards. During the medieval period, this island along with Pamban Island was in the possession of the
45:
226:
146:
52:
421:(BJP) ahead of the general elections in India, which are set to start on April 19, 2024. The BJP brought this issue to the forefront as part of its election campaign, particularly targeting the discontent of Indian fishermen affected by the 1976 agreement that barred them from fishing in the waters around the island. Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister,
410:, filed a petition in the Supreme Court that the declaration of the 1974 and 1976 agreements between India and Sri Lanka on ceding of Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka were unconstitutional. The court ruled in the Berubari case that the cession of Indian territory to another country had to be ratified by parliament through amendment of the Constitution.
379:
state in India has led to some agitations by Tamil Nadu politicians that India should claim sovereignty over it. The island is also important as fishing grounds used by fishermen from both countries. The Indo-Sri Lankan agreement allows Indian fishermen to fish around
Katchatheevu and to dry their
362:
The dispute over the island between the
Ceylonese and Indian colonial governments arose in 1920. While the Indian view was that the island was part of India because it belonged to a landlord of the Raja of Ramnad, B. Horsburgh opposed this view and cited evidence that Katchatheevu, along with St.
413:
The Indian government in
February 2014 stated, "No territory belonging to India was ceded nor sovereignty relinquished since the area was in dispute and had never been demarcated." The government added that the agreements did not require a constitutional amendment because no territory was ceded.
366:
Ownership of the island was a dispute between India and Sri Lanka up until 1974 as it had been during
British rule. It was never demarcated by the Indian government. India recognized Sri Lanka's ownership of the island in 1974. The legality of the transfer was challenged in the
449:(Mass) and procession. Pilgrims from India are ferried mostly from Rameswaram. According to the agreement between the Indian and Sri Lankan governments, the citizens of India are not required to possess an Indian passport or Sri Lankan visa to visit Kachchatheevu.
444:
of seafarers by
Christians. It was built by a prosperous Indian Catholic (Tamilian) fisherman Srinivasa Padaiyachi in the early 20th century. The annual church festival runs for three days. Christian priests from both India and Sri Lanka conduct the
402:
The main problem continues to grow as more fisherman move into the Sri Lankan sea area for poaching. In 2010 the Sri Lankan government issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu government saying the Indian court cannot nullify the 1974 agreement.
690:
This was followed up by a meeting of the officials of India and Sri Lanka at Delhi when they decided to adopt the median line as the line of demarcation with a deviation around
Katchatheevu including it in Sri Lanka's
261:(now Sri Lanka) from 1921. Though the Indian government never controlled it, the island remained disputed until 1974 between India and Sri Lanka when India recognised Sri Lanka's sovereignty over the island.
1107:
1090:
1229:
1209:
1354:
1364:
363:
Anthony's Church on the island, belonged to the
Diocese of Jaffna. By 1921, both sides had agreed on a border that put the island within Ceylonese territory.
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425:, has publicly dismissed the motion of reopening discussions about Katchatheevu, stating the issue was resolved 50 years ago.
1290:
949:
610:
433:
396:
323:. By 1920, Ceylon had reinstated its claims to Katchatheevu and the island found itself within Ceylonese territory in 1921.
44:
1308:
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80:
1458:
1379:
344:
184:
1409:
717:
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301:
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331:
The oldest known name of the island, Kacci (modern
Kaccativu), is mentioned in the Rameswaram Inscription of King
1421:
1234:
1046:
847:. Faculty of Defence & Strategic Studies, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University. pp. 3–4, 7–9.
1441:
1436:
1219:
1135:
1077:
936:
950:
Gamini
Gunaratna, Sri Lanka News Paper by LankaPage.com (LLC)- Latest Hot News from Sri Lanka (2011-04-17).
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165:
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300:. Another agreement signed in 1976 restricted both the countries' fishermen from fishing in the other's
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1214:
952:"Sri Lanka : Sri Lankan minister says Indian court cannot nullify accord on Kachchativu Island"
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858:
Mayilvaganan, M. (2019). "'Trouble waters': Maritime issues in Palk Strait, Indian Ocean".
381:
973:
8:
1018:"Sri Lanka sees no need for talks with India on Katchatheevu island it ceded decades ago"
372:
352:
1480:
1475:
639:"Kachatheevu was not ceded to Sri Lanka & can't be retrieved – Government Of India"
555:
468:
229:
Kachchatheevu location in Jaffna
Peninsula, extreme bottom left or southwest of the map
685:
History of Land Revenue Settlement and Abolition of Intermediary Tenures in Tamil Nadu
580:
History of Land Revenue Settlement and Abolition of Intermediary Tenures in Tamil Nadu
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991:
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In June 2011 the new Tamil Nadu government led by the chief minister of Tamil Nadu,
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578:
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Muni, S. D. (1974). "Kachchativu settlement: Befriending neighbouring regimes".
871:
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375:. This recognition of an island that is culturally important to fishermen of
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Adam's Bridge: Sacrality, Performance, and Heritage of an Oceanic Marvel
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388:, which was deployed to prevent smuggling of weapons by the rebel group
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is the only structure on the island. It is a shrine-church named after
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576:
902:
Fisheries exploitation in the Indian Ocean: Threats and opportunities
269:
254:
213:
201:
151:
900:
Raju, A. S. (2009). "The (in) security of fishermen in South Asia".
759:
Paranavitana, S. (1970). "Ramesvaram inscription of Nissankamalla".
1275:
743:
520:
393:
706:
Malone, David M.; Mohan, C. Raja; Raghavan, Srinath (2015-07-23).
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605:. Ocean and Island Studies. Taylor & Francis. p. 165.
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974:"Today's Paper News : Resolution passed on Katchatheevu"
785:. Vol. VI. Department of Archaeology. pp. 117–125.
277:
551:"Did Congress 'give away' Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka?"
339:. From the 17th century onwards, the island was part of the
682:
Tamil Nadu (India); Nagarajan, N.; Subramanian, K. (1977).
577:
Tamil Nadu (India); Nagarajan, N.; Subramanian, K. (1977).
570:
389:
845:
Sharing Maritime Boundary with India Sri Lankan Experience
810:. Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka). p. 117-125.
417:
A motion of the Katchatheevu dispute was reopened by the
594:
592:
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accepted Katchatheevu as Sri Lankan territory under the
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384:, the arrangement led to many difficulties with the
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371:since the recognition had not been ratified by the
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296:aimed at resolving the maritime boundaries in the
288:fishermen. In 1974, then Prime Minister of India,
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860:Samudera-Journal of Maritime and Coastal Studies
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776:
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740:Katchatheevu: The big issue over a small island
916:"The Hindu : 'Cannot return Kachchativu'"
1054:
771:
857:
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709:The Oxford Handbook of Indian Foreign Policy
464:India–Sri Lanka maritime boundary agreements
399:that attracts devotees from both countries.
836:
823:"Kachchativu Island and Church (Sri Lanka)"
28:
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918:. Archived from the original on 2011-07-07
598:
1447:Southwestern Sri Lanka rivers and streams
805:
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688:. Government of Tamil Nadu. p. 196.
893:
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583:. Government of Tamil Nadu. p. 195.
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972:Special Correspondent (2011-06-10).
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637:Special Correspondent (2014-02-08).
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380:nets on the island. As part of the
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307:Earlier, it had been owned by the
294:Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime agreement
14:
1525:
1309:Divisional Secretariats Divisions
808:Inscriptions of Ceylon, Volume VI
696:
549:Sengupta, Arjun (31 March 2024).
1509:Uninhabited islands of Sri Lanka
821:Manjula, H.A.K.L. (2024-02-10).
355:, the island became part of the
347:or region of India. Later, with
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1432:dry-zone dry evergreen forests
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264:The island is located between
253:) is an uninhabited island in
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887:Economic and Political Weekly
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474:India - Sri Lanka land border
257:. The island was governed by
210:Sri Lanka Standard Time Zone
7:
872:10.22452/samudera.vol1no1.3
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459:Extreme points of Sri Lanka
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315:which later came under the
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1427:Deccan thorn scrub forests
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123:1.6 km (0.99 mi)
1514:India–Sri Lanka relations
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935:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
599:Chatterjee, A.K. (2024).
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302:exclusive economic zones
250:[kəttʃət̪t̪iːʋʉ]
1146:Knuckles Mountain Range
1141:Hanthana Mountain Range
115:285 acres (115 ha)
1365:North Western Province
1355:North Central Province
1070:Geography of Sri Lanka
806:Ranawella, S. (2007).
781:Ranawella, S. (2007).
521:[kattʃət̪iːʋu]
517:Sinhala pronunciation:
419:Bharatiya Janata Party
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196:Additional information
843:De Silva, S. (2008).
783:Inscription of Ceylon
429:St. Anthony's Shrine
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1464:wildlife sanctuaries
1442:montane rain forests
1437:lowland rain forests
1410:environmental issues
492:Tamil romanization:
382:Sri Lankan Civil War
369:Indian Supreme Court
246:Tamil pronunciation:
96:9.38333°N 79.51667°E
904:. pp. 163–174.
392:. The island has a
353:Indian subcontinent
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16:Island of Sri Lanka
1244:Bordering entities
1022:The Indian Express
1002:has generic name (
792:978-955-91-59-61-2
667:has generic name (
556:The Indian Express
469:Palk Strait bridge
434:St Antony's Shrine
311:of Ramanathapuram
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1504:Delft DS Division
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1375:Southern Province
1360:Northern Province
1136:Central Highlands
1108:Natural disasters
954:. Colombopage.com
761:Epigraphia Indica
612:978-1-003-85912-3
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373:Indian Parliament
357:Madras Presidency
343:which existed in
317:Madras Presidency
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1291:Subdivisions
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1126:Indian Plate
1026:. Retrieved
1024:. 2024-04-04
1021:
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58:Katchatheevu
20:Katchatheevu
1397:Environment
1324:Settlements
1281:Palk Strait
313:Rameshwaram
298:Palk Strait
266:Neduntheevu
185:DS Division
99: /
75:Coordinates
1498:Categories
1422:ecoregions
1235:Waterfalls
1028:2024-04-04
983:2012-06-18
958:2012-06-18
922:2007-10-24
829:2024-03-31
648:2014-02-18
618:2024-03-31
531:References
495:Kaccattīvu
377:Tamil Nadu
286:Tamil Nadu
274:Rameswaram
242:கச்சத்தீவு
30:கச்சத்தீவு
1304:Districts
1299:Provinces
1220:Mountains
1193:Landforms
978:The Hindu
643:The Hindu
512:Kaccatīvu
423:Ali Sabry
270:Sri Lanka
255:Sri Lanka
202:Time zone
152:Sri Lanka
87:79°31′0″E
70:Geography
1471:wildlife
1405:Forestry
1276:Palk Bay
1101:Wet Zone
1096:Dry Zone
992:cite web
931:cite web
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744:Livemint
657:cite web
562:31 March
504:කච්චතීවු
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394:Catholic
214:UTC+5:30
173:District
166:Northern
161:Province
84:9°23′0″N
1230:Valleys
1210:Lagoons
1205:Islands
1200:Beaches
1164:Highest
1118:Geology
1086:Climate
1078:Climate
500:Sinhala
351:on the
327:History
319:during
1332:Cities
1225:Rivers
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691:limits
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397:shrine
178:Jaffna
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120:Length
1481:flora
1476:fauna
1337:Towns
1266:India
1215:Lakes
1174:South
1169:North
765:XXXVI
480:Notes
278:India
238:Tamil
190:Delft
128:Width
1184:West
1179:East
1131:Gems
1004:help
937:link
787:ISBN
714:ISBN
669:help
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390:LTTE
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