Foreign Ministers of India, Sri Lanka to meet today over fishermen issue

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold a high-level meeting with her Sri Lankan counterpart Mangala Samarweera in New Delhi today to sort out the fishermen issue.

The meeting comes days after the fishermen associations of both the countries failed to reach a common ground to resolve the issue.

Fishermen based in Sri Lankan north have been claiming that their livelihood is affected due to the bottom trawling practiced by Indian fishermen and their poaching into Sri Lankan territory.

The fishermen from Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are opposed to Sri Lankan Navy arresting them and seizing their boats.

Though the fishermen are released on humanitarian grounds, their vessels are not returned by the Sri Lankan Government.

Nine Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody were released this week ahead of today's meeting.

The issue was raised by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe during their meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month and both sides had agreed for a high-level meeting.