30 Indian fishermen repatriated from Sri Lanka

At least 30 Indian fishermen have been repatriated from Sri Lanka today (07), according to the Indian High Commission in Colombo.

The group is heading home, authorities said. “30 Indian fishermen were repatriated from Sri Lanka today and are on their way home,” the Indian High Commission here said in a post on X.

According to the Sri Lanka Navy, till April 2026, 15 trawlers have been seized while 102 Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Navy. In 2025, some 346 fishermen had been arrested in 44 trawlers while poaching in Sri Lankan waters, the Navy said.

The Navy Spokesman Commander, Buddika Sampath told PTI he was not certain which batch of detentions the 30 fishermen were from. “It depends on the court procedure,” he added.

The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, due to the continuous arrest of Indian fishermen due to poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters.

--Agencies