The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam (India) and Kankesanthurai (near Jaffna in Sri Lanka) initiated by the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) in October 2023, is set to resume tentatively on May 13, 2024.
The service will be managed by a private company (IndSri Ferry Services) selected by SCI in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL).
To ensure affordability and attractiveness for passengers, the Government of India will cover the costs of applicable taxes and other charges amounting to over LKR 25 million per month for a duration of one year. Additionally, the GOSL has reduced the deviation tax currently imposed on passengers departing Sri Lanka via passenger vessels and ships.
It is noteworthy that the Government of India extended a grant assistance of US$ 63.65 million to GOSL for the rehabilitation of the KKS Harbour, previously planned under a Line of Credit. This reflects India's steadfast commitment to Sri Lanka's economic recovery and advancement, fostering progress and prosperity through close collaboration.
Enhancing maritime connectivity between India and Sri Lanka aligns with the vision outlined in the joint economic partnership document adopted during the visit of the President of Sri Lanka to India in July 2023. The resumption of the ferry service underscores the people-oriented policies of the Government of India. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi emphasized the significance of connectivity during the service launch in October 2023, highlighting its role in bringing nations and their people closer together. He also emphasized the benefits accruing to the people of Sri Lanka from the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor initiated during the G20 summit in India in September 2023, emphasizing the strengthening of multimodal connectivity between the two countries.
Looking ahead, connectivity with Sri Lanka will be further enhanced through initiatives such as electricity grid interconnection, a two-way multipurpose pipeline, and the establishment of a land connectivity economic corridor.