India and Lanka discuss IMBL issues

India and Sri Lanka had another round of discussions at sea on issues relating to the?Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Line including the fishing issue and?smuggling of narcotics, the Navy media unit said today.
The Navy said that the 22nd International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) meeting between Sri Lanka and India was held onboard the Indian Naval Ship Gharial at the Indo-Sri Lanka Maritime Boundary Line off Kankasanthurai.
The Sri Lankan delegation consisted of Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Coast Guard officials and was headed by Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Shirantha Udawatte.
The Indian delegation consisted of Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard officials and was headed by Naval Officer in Command at Tamil Nadu, Commodore AK Mahadevan.
The IMBL Meeting is held twice a year to strengthen the naval relationships between the two neighboring countries. Delegates meet one another once onboard an Indian naval ship and next onboard a Sri Lankan naval ship.
During the 22nd IMBL session, matters related to fishing activities conducted in the Palk Strait, Gulf of Mannar and Eastern sea areas and smuggling of narcotics across IMBL were discussed, the Navy media unit said.
Meanwhile four Indians were arrested while they were transporting Kerala ganja in the north by boat, the Navy media unit said today.
The navy said that the four Indians as well as two Sri Lankans who had gone by boat to pick the ganja were handed over to the police for further investigations. (Colombo Gazette)