NEW DELHI: Sri Lanka on Monday repatriated 19 Indian fishermen, who reached home the same evening, even as 82 remain in its custody, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having raised the issue with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo announced on X that the fishermen were being repatriated on Monday and were expected to return home by evening.
The recurring issue of Indian fishermen being apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) continues to strain bilateral ties. At least 360 Indian fishermen were detained in 2025, of whom 339 have since been released and repatriated.
Moreover, this year alone, 104 fishermen have been apprehended, with 30 already released and brought back to India, while another 30 have been freed and are completing travel-related formalities ahead of their return.
At present, 82 Indian fishermen remain in Sri Lankan custody, with 31 awaiting trial and 51 serving sentences under Sri Lankan law.
New Delhi has consistently taken up the issue with Colombo through bilateral mechanisms, diplomatic channels and official engagements, pressing for the early release and repatriation of detained fishermen and their boats.
