President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered the release of all Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan custody as a goodwill measure to mark the swearing-in of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi. A Presidential spokesman said, the order was issued ahead of Rajapaksa's visit to New Delhi to attend Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Sri Lankan fisheries ministry officials, however, could not indicate the number of Indian fishermen currently in detention.

Earlier, Pakistan also announced the release 151 Indian fishermen today as a goodwill gesture ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi led new government at the Centre. An official at the Malir jail in Karachi where Indian fishermen are lodged, said, prison authorities have received orders from Islamabad to release the fishermen who will be transported to Wagah border in Lahore.

According to Indian fishermen activists, at present around 229 Indian fishermen and about 780 Indian boats are in Pakistan's custody.