A planned visit by a high-level delegation from Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Ministry to India, intended to address ongoing disputes over fishing practices, was postponed at the last minute due to administrative difficulties on the Indian side. The delegation was scheduled to travel on Friday for official talks concerning issues including bottom trawling by fishermen from Tamil Nadu in Sri Lanka’s northern waters.
Indian officials were unable to participate on the originally scheduled date and proposed alternative dates for the meeting. Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Ministry is considering a new appointment on October 30. However, ministry officials have expressed challenges in confirming the visit at that time because the country's budget debate is underway, during which senior ministry officials are restricted from foreign travel.
A source within the ministry indicated plans to suggest an earlier date in October to avoid conflicts with the budget debate schedule. The discussions are aimed at finding a resolution to the fishing dispute, which has been a source of tension between the two countries’ coastal communities for some time. The postponement underscores ongoing logistical and administrative hurdles in coordinating bilateral talks on this sensitive issue.