India extends financial support for Nagapattinam -Kankesanthurai ferry service
COLOMBO – The Government of India has extended its financial assistance for the passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Kankesanthurai in northern Sri Lanka for another year, marking the third consecutive year of Indian support since the service resumed in August 2024.
The extension is intended to strengthen maritime connectivity between India and Sri Lanka and promote greater people-to-people, cultural and economic exchanges between the two countries.
The assistance is being provided through India’s Viability Gap Funding (VGF) mechanism, amounting to nearly LKR 300 million annually, and will help cover key logistical and operational costs to maintain the affordability and sustainability of the service.
Since its resumption in August 2024, the ferry service has carried approximately 52,000 passengers, providing an alternative maritime link between the two countries and facilitating travel for business, tourism, religious and other purposes.
The continuation of the funding is in line with the two countries’ shared commitment to improving maritime connectivity, reaffirmed during President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to India in December 2024 and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025.
India’s assistance is also expected to support longer-term efforts to expand maritime links between the two countries.
Future plans include the rehabilitation of Kankesanthurai Harbour under an overall Indian grant assistance package of US$65 million, as well as exploring additional ferry routes and services.
–ENCL
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.