The Sri Lanka Navy arrested seven Indian fishermen on January 20, 2026, for fishing inside Sri Lankan territorial waters. The arrests took place off Kovilan in the northern Jaffna peninsula. The Navy also seized two trawlers used by the fishermen. According to the Navy, those arrested will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna, for legal action. Fishermen from India and Sri Lanka frequently face arrests for crossing into each other's waters by mistake. The Palk Strait, a narrow sea passage separating Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, is a key fishing area for both sides. This often causes tension between the two countries. The dispute has led to incidents where Sri Lankan Navy personnel fired at Indian fishermen and seized their boats. In 2025 alone, Sri Lanka’s Navy detained 346 Indian fishermen and seized 44 trawlers for suspected illegal fishing, the Navy statement said. The ongoing issue remains a sensitive point between India and Sri Lanka, reflecting the challenges of managing shared maritime resources and ensuring fishermen's safety.