After four decades, India and Sri Lanka "revive" ferry services.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe attended the inauguration ceremony of the ferry service connecting the two countries on October 14.

On its inaugural day, the Cheriyapani high-speed ferry made its maiden voyage to Sri Lanka with 50 passengers, the captain, and 12 crew members. (Source: Siasat)

The ferry service between Nagapattinam on the east coast of India's Tamil Nadu state and Kankesanthurai near Jaffna in Sri Lanka's northern province marks a "revival" after nearly 40 years of interruption due to civil war in the island nation known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean.

In his online address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized: “Connectivity is not just about bringing two cities closer together, but about bringing our nations closer together, our people closer together, and our hearts closer together.”

Recalling Nagapattinam's rich maritime trade history, as well as the song Sindhu Nadhiyin Misai about the bridge connecting the two countries by the famous Tamil poet Subramania Bharati, the Indian leader affirmed: "The ferry service brings all those historical and cultural connections to life."

The Prime Minister also offered a broader perspective on India's cooperation with Sri Lanka, noting that financial technology, energy, and digital payments are potential areas of mutual benefit.

In his video message, President Wickremesinghe called this an important step toward strengthening ties between India and Sri Lanka.

“People from both countries have been crossing the Palk Strait for years… Previously operating ferry services were suspended due to the civil war in Sri Lanka. Now, the connection has been re-established,” he said.

The high-speed ferry operated by the Indian Transport Corporation has a capacity of 150 passengers. The distance of approximately 60 nautical miles (110 km) between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai will take about 3.5 hours to travel, depending on sea conditions.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/sau-4-thap-nien-an-do-va-sri-lanka-hoi-sinh-dich-vu-pha-246129.html