Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the release of 78 Indian fishermen held under Sri Lankan custody, as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again, to address the issue of attacks on fishermen.

The released Indian fishermen were part of a group recently arrested and had their fishing trawlers confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy, as arrests of Indian fishermen continued.

Jayalalithaa, in her second letter to the Indian Prime Minister, called for a “long-term, permanent solution to the problem and also to put in place a strong and robust diplomatic response”.

She went on to add that,

“As an immediate measure, I request you to kindly ensure that India registers the strongest disapproval of the belligerent actions of the Sri Lankan Navy.”

The issue of attacks by the Sri Lankan Navy has been a major source of contention between the two countries, with Prime Minister Modi reportedly raising the issue when he met with the Sri Lankan President in Delhi.

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, who also heads the third largest party in India, stated that

“I am confident that with the Government of India and the Government of Tamil Nadu acting in concert, it would be possible to achieve a permanent solution to this vexatious issue... A permanent solution to this problem must be found by a decisive initiative under your leadership.”