India and Sri Lanka have agreed on and initialled a draft agreement to resume ferry services between the two neighbours that was disrupted by the isla
nd's ethnic war, a statement said."The two sides agreed on the text of the Memorandum of Understanding for passenger transportation by sea between the two countries and initialed the text of the MoU," the Indian High Commission statement said.
The deal came during a visit to Sri Lanka by a delegation led by K Mohandas, Secretary to India's Ministry of Shipping during October 14-15 for talks with Sri Lanka's Ministry of Ports on passenger transportation by sea between the two countries.
"The MoU would be signed by the two countries after the necessary internal processes are completed, following which ferry services between Colombo and Tuticorin and Talaimannar and Rameswaram can be put in place," the statement said.
A ferry service operated between Talaimannar on Sri Lanka's north-west coast and Rameshwaram in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu before the ethnic war.
The 30-year war ended in May 2009 paving the way for the resumption of the ferry service as well as a new one between Colombo port and the port of Tuticorin also in south India.
