In 1921, a meeting of British officials in Colombo to discuss maritime boundary issues has referred to India's territorial claim on Katchatheevu.
After independence, the island was listed as a part of Ramanathapuram district in the 1972 Gazetteers: Ramanathapuram by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
It has a Catholic shrine and has been declared as a sacred area by the government of Sri Lanka.
As part of the settlement, Indian fishermen and pilgrims were allowed access to Katchatheevu as hitherto, and were not required by Sri Lanka to have travel documents or visas.
