A delegation from Tamil Nadu is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka soon to finalise modalities to auction fishing vessels seized by the Sri Lanka Navy. Indian High Commission spokesperson Eldos Mathew Punnoose has said in a statement that dealt with High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay along with two Mission officials visiting the State of Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry from 21-24 November 2021.

The following is the text of the statement: “In Tamil Nadu, the High Commissioner paid a courtesy call on Governor of Tamil Nadu Thiru R. N. Ravi.

High Commissioner called on the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru MK Stalin. The High Commissioner apprised the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and senior officials of Tamil Nadu of key matters related to people-to-people relations between India and Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner also called on the Minister for Fisheries – Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry Thiru Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management Dr. Palanivel ThiagaRajan and Minister for Minorities Welfare and Non Resident Tamils Welfare Thiru Gingee K.S.Masthan in Chennai.

On the first day of his visit (21 November), the High Commissioner visited the coastal town of Rameshwaram and interacted with the local fishing community on the issues faced by Indian fishermen. Government of Tamil Nadu officials briefed the visiting High Commissioner on the infrastructure and other facilities they had developed for deep sea fishing in the district. The High Commissioner also utilised the opportunity to visit the old ferry harbour in Dhanuskodhi that had catered to people-to-people connectivity between India and Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner visited Sri Lankan Rehabilitation Camp in Thiruchirapalli and interacted with the Sri Lankan refugees accommodated there.

At a trade and investment event organised by the South Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI), the High Commissioner interacted with the Tamil Nadu business community on the importance of close collaboration to harness trade and investment opportunities for Indian business in Sri Lanka.

In Puducherry, the High Commissioner called on the Lt Governor Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan and also on Chief Minister of Puducherry Thiru. N. Rangaswamy, apart from meeting senior officials of the Union Territory.

In the constructive discussions held with the senior officials of the State Government of Tamil Nadu and other stakeholders, it was agreed to facilitate early holding of India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries as well as interactions between Fishermen Associations of both the countries. The High Commissioner was informed that a team from Tamil Nadu would visit Sri Lanka for finalising modalities for auctioning the unsalvageable Indian fishing boats in various Sri Lankan harbours.

The visit of the High Commission officials to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry afforded useful opportunities for furthering discussions on a number of aspects of importance to the peoples of India and Sri Lanka in the spheres of trade, commerce, connectivity, tourism – especially collaboration in agriculture, organic farming, fisheries, aquaculture, food processing, green and renewable energy, shipping and ports, medical tourism and cultural exchange.”