Srilanka, Feb. 2 -- Sri Lanka loses an estimated US $40 million annually due to the unauthorised extraction of aquatic resources by Indian fishermen, according to senior lecturer in International Human Rights Law at the Open University, Ramindu Perera.

While Sri Lanka has stepped up its efforts to prevent Indian fishermen illegally entering its territorial waters, Perera highlighted a significant rise in arrests of Indian fishermen over the past few years. In 2020, Sri Lanka arrested 74 Indian fishermen, and the number increased to 159 in 2021, 268 in 2022, 240 in 2023 and 535 in 2024.

"This increase in arrests suggests that more Indian fishermen are entering Sri Lankan waters. With frequent interactions between them and the Sri Lankan ...