India’s incoming Chief Justice, Justice Surya Kant, has called for enhanced cooperation between India and Sri Lanka to protect the Indian Ocean, stressing that environmental collaboration is a matter of survival, not charity or diplomacy. His remarks came during an address at the University of Colombo on the second day of his three-day visit to Sri Lanka.
Justice Kant reflected on the historical significance of the waters separating the two nations, describing them as ancient conduits of culture, trade, and ideas. “The time has come for India and Sri Lanka to pioneer a regional model of environmental constitutionalism,” he said, urging both countries to lead by example in safeguarding the marine ecosystem.
During the visit, he also announced that a delegation of Sri Lankan Supreme Court judges is expected to visit India later this year or early 2026. The initiative, Justice Kant noted, aims to strengthen judicial dialogue and foster institutional collaboration between the two judiciaries.
Highlighting ecological interdependence, Justice Kant described the Indian Ocean as a historic bridge connecting the peoples of India and Sri Lanka through shared ecosystems, faith, and culture. Yet, he warned that beneath the calm waters of the Palk Strait, signs of ecological stress are mounting: oil spills drifting across shores, coral bleaching due to rising temperatures, and fishing communities whose livelihoods are increasingly precarious due to policy decisions made in both capitals.
The Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar, once biodiversity-rich zones, now face severe pressure from overfishing, destructive trawling, and unregulated coastal activity. Recurring confrontations between Indian trawlers and Sri Lankan fishers, he explained, exemplify “a deeper ecological tragedy—competition for an exhausted resource base.”
Justice Kant also highlighted the impacts of climate change, including saltwater intrusion, microplastic accumulation, and uncoordinated disaster responses, urging both nations to share data, monitor ecosystems jointly, and implement coordinated policies to mitigate environmental degradation.
He emphasised the judiciary’s role as a “moral and constitutional guardian” of ecological balance, noting that both India and Sri Lanka have developed strong environmental jurisprudence. Justice Kant’s visit underscores the growing recognition that sustainable management of marine resources requires not just bilateral cooperation, but also a robust legal framework backed by institutional coordination.
By fostering judicial dialogue, promoting shared monitoring mechanisms, and addressing systemic environmental challenges, India and Sri Lanka could create a regional model for sustainable ocean governance, potentially inspiring similar frameworks across the Indian Ocean rim.
