The Sri Lankan Navy arrested 50 Indian fishermen off Point Pedro in Jaffna late on Monday on the charge of poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
It also seized seven trawlers from them.
The arrests have come at a time when fishermen on either side of the Palk Strait are voicing concern at the lack of progress towards a solution to the conflict between fishermen of the two countries.
Following the arrests, Sri Lanka’s Fisheries Minister Rajitha Seneratne said his country was waiting to hear from New Delhi on moving ahead with the talks.
A decision to set up a committee of experts with three members each, representing each government, was taken during the previous UPA regime in January 2014 when Mr. Senaratne met the then Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Sharad Pawar, but there has been no progress so far.
