In an effort to improve connectivity, India and Sri Lanka on Saturday began operating ferries over the Palk Strait, nearly 40 years after the island nation’s civil war severed the connection between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai in Jaffna.
The ferry service is anticipated to increase trade and travel to and from Kankesanthurai, the port in Sri Lanka that is most conveniently placed for ports on India’s west coast. The service is a component of the economic cooperation vision, which was agreed during the July visit of Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to India. It is a plan for connectivity in the marine, aviation, and energy sectors.
In video messages shown during a ceremony in Nagapattinam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Wickremesinghe remembered the long-standing cultural and commercial ties between the two nations and emphasised the value of connectivity.
“Our vision for connectivity goes beyond the transport sector. India and Sri Lanka collaborate closely in a wide range of areas such as fintech and energy…We are working on fintech sector connectivity by linking UPI and Lanka Pay,” Modi stated. “We are connecting our energy grids to enhance energy security and reliability.”
Wickremesinghe mentioned, “The connectivity between our two countries was disrupted due to the war in the north. Now peace has returned and we can re-establish the sea connectivity”.
Jaffna served as a crucial bastion for the erstwhile Tamil Tiger insurgents during the civil conflict in Sri Lanka. In the 1980s, the ferry service to India was stopped when the Sri Lankan Navy blocked the port at Kankesanturai after it was attacked by the rebels.
Depending on the state of the water, the 110 km trip between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai on the ferry operated by the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board and the Shipping Corporation of India takes three to four hours. The external affairs ministry approved 8 crore for modernising Nagpattinam port, including excavating the channel and renovating the passenger terminal building and approach road, at the behest of the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board (TMB).
“In future, we are looking at grid connection, pipeline and economic corridor. And of course, support for all in Sri Lanka to live in equal dignity and equal rights,” he averred.
The Northern Province of Sri Lanka, which has a predominance of Tamil people, has seen the completion of various projects for housing, water, health, and livelihood assistance, according to Modi. In addition to improving Kankesanthurai Harbour, India has rolled out an emergency medical service throughout the nation and assisted in restoring the railway lines that connect Sri Lanka’s north and south.
This year’s ferry service will run until October 23 since the start of the northeast monsoon will make things challenging. In January 2024, the service will start up again when the weather is good.
