T.N. CM Stalin writes to Exterior Affairs Minister looking for everlasting steps to forestall fishermen arrests

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Ok. Stalin on Tuesday (December 23, 2025) wrote to Union Exterior Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, urging him to utilise acceptable diplomatic channels to convene a Joint Working Group assembly and maintain fishermen-level talks to reach at a everlasting answer to the problems confronted by Tamil Nadu’s fishermen.

In his letter, Mr. Stalin drew Mr. Jaishankar’s consideration to the arrest of 12 fishermen from Rameswaram and the seizure of their mechanised boat by the Sri Lankan Navy on Tuesday. “The continued arrest of our fishermen and the seizure of their boats by the Sri Lankan Navy have severely impacted their livelihoods and induced immense hardship and misery among the many coastal fishing communities of Tamil Nadu,” Mr. Stalin stated.

In view of the above, Mr. Stalin urged the Centre to take up the matter urgently by means of acceptable diplomatic channels and convene the Joint Working Group assembly and maintain fishermen-level talks on the earliest to reach at a everlasting and mutually acceptable answer.

He additionally identified {that a} whole of 248 fishing boats and 62 fishermen from Tamil Nadu, together with 18 fishermen apprehended in 2024, had been presently underneath Sri Lankan custody. He urged the Centre to take crucial steps to forestall additional arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy and to safe the early launch of all detained fishermen and their fishing boats.