DiplomacyRise of Dravidian rule
India recognises Sri Lankan sovereignty over Katchatheevu
Under the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement, India accepted Katchatheevu island in the Palk Strait as Sri Lankan territory.
In June 1974, the governments of Indira Gandhi and Sirimavo Bandaranaike concluded the Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement on the boundary in the Palk Strait. Under it India recognised Sri Lanka's sovereignty over Katchatheevu, an uninhabited island between Rameswaram and Neduntheevu. The island had long been used by fishermen of both countries. The agreement was opposed by political parties in Tamil Nadu and has remained a recurring issue tied to the rights of Tamil Nadu fishermen.
