Why in the News?

The Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai ferry service has been resumed along the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka after 40 years.

About Palk Strait

Location	Narrow water body separating Tamil Nadu, India, and Sri Lanka.
Name Origin	Named after Robert Palk, a British Raj-era Governor of Madras Presidency (1755-1763).
Geographic Boundaries	Southern boundaries include Pamban Island (India), Adam’s Bridge (shoals), Gulf of Mannar, and Mannar Island (Sri Lanka).
Connection	Connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest.
Alternate Name	Southwestern part of the strait is known as Palk Bay.
Dimensions	Width varies from 64 to 137 km, length is approximately 137 km, and depth is less than 330 feet (100 meters).
River Inflows	Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu flow into the Palk Strait.
Historic Context	Key maritime link between India and Sri Lanka, facilitating trade, cultural exchanges, and religious pilgrimages. Played a vital role in the British colonial trade routes, but ferry services were halted due to the 1964 cyclone and the Sri Lankan civil war in 1983.
Present Significance	Supports regional trade, tourism, and people-to-people connections, while fostering economic development in both India and Sri Lanka.