India got Wadge Bank in exchange for Katchatheevu: Tamil Nadu Congress

Subject: Geography

Sec: Mapping

Context:

The India-Sri Lanka international maritime boundary line (IMBL) was delineated by a 1974 agreement demarcating it in the Palk Strait and another 1976 agreement demarcating it in the Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal.

India got more out of the Palk Bay than Sri Lanka did:

The 1974 agreement between India and Sri Lanka allocated the Palk Bay area, which comprises 2,100 square nautical miles, in a ratio favouring India (1.02:1), giving India a slightly larger share than an equal division.
Despite conceding Katchatheevu Island to Sri Lanka, India secured significant benefits from the 1974 agreement, as outlined in a 2018 India Quarterly article by N Manoharan and Madhumati Deshpande.
Two clauses in the 1974 Agreement aimed to protect Indian fishermen’s interests:
- Article 5 allowed the use of Katchatheevu for drying nets and fish and for pilgrimage, while
- Article 6 ensured the free movement of vessels in Palk Bay.
The allowance for fishing by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters was not specified in the 1974 Agreement, leading to issues for the Tamil Nadu fishing community regarding Katchatheevu.
It was the subsequent 1976 Agreement that explicitly prohibited Indian fishermen from fishing in Sri Lankan waters, further complicating the situation.

Wadge bank:

The Wadge Bank is a resource-rich area south of Kanyakumari, noted for deep-sea fishing grounds and other resources. Its size is estimated at 3,000 to 4,000 square miles, contrasting significantly with the 285-acre Katchatheevu Island.
Historically, the Wadge Bank was a major tropical trawl fishery site, with commercial fishing activities by Sri Lankan fishermen dating back to at least the 1920s. Between May and October, it is considered a rich fishing ground with favourable weather conditions for fishing compared to European waters.

India got ownership over Wadge Bank:

The 1976 India-Sri Lanka maritime boundary agreement acknowledges India’s sovereignty over the Wadge Bank, located near Cape Comorin within India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), granting India sovereign rights over its resources.
As a result of the agreement, Sri Lankan fishermen and vessels are currently barred from fishing in the Wadge Bank, with the pact also securing India’s rights to explore for petroleum and other minerals in the area.
Initiatives by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to explore oil in the Wadge Bank have met with resistance from Kanyakumari residents.
The agreement allowed Sri Lankan fishermen access to the Wadge Bank for fishing for a limited three-year period, licensing only six Sri Lankan vessels to catch 2,000 tonnes of fish annually.
This was followed by a five-year grace period during which India would sell 2,000 tonnes of fish annually to Sri Lanka at a mutually agreed price.
Former High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Ashok K Kantha, highlighted the significance of the 1974 and 1976 agreements as foundational for subsequent maritime boundary clarifications and agreements with Sri Lanka and the Maldives, emphasizing their role in building relations.