Hindu,  Fri Feb 24 22:56:58 EST 2006

    CHENNAI: The `coordinated patrolling', which the Indian and Sri Lankan navies have taken up along the International Maritime Boundary Line, has been formalised.

Officers of both navies met on Thursday to work out the arrangements, Eastern Naval Commander, Sureesh Mehta, told The Hindu here on Friday. "We have finalised something just yesterday. We are working on the modalities... we have almost got it sorted out. And it will be in place very soon."

India and Sri Lanka began `coordinated patrolling' along the IMBL over six months ago on an experimental basis to ensure that there was no instance of firing at genuine fishermen and to prevent criminals from travelling freely between the countries.

During the experimental stage, many limitations of the forces were studied and a working methodology was evolved. These included the crossing of the international boundary line and identification of various types of crafts in the region. Both sides routinely exchanged information on the location of their vessels and details of suspicious activities in the region.
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- The Academic

The question is for how long and how effectively this proceeds? Is this only to prevent the real innocent fishermens crossing each other terrotiry or to see the not-so-innocent fishermens who transport drugs and "" to the brother hood?.

When the Pro-Tigers like Waikko start shouting and the Central government feels the punch that they cannot afford to loose Tamil Nadu support, all the coordinated stuff between the India and SL will vanish to the thin air.

Any body remeber what happend to the defence pact ? Earlier jont patrol agreements ??

I sincerly beleve that the central government can finish their dream project the Sethu. Yes, if not for the Pro-Tigers, TN would have given the 100%. But they oppose under various reason for this, as they know that their brother hood and for a joint state is at risk.