Sri Lanka: The economic crisis in Sri Lanka as well as the lack of fuel and other necessities has resulted in vulnerable groups fleeing the country illegally by boat. 

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for illegal Sri Lankan migrants. However, Canberra's strict border policy aims to intercept and return these boats at sea.

According to Paul Stephens, High Commissioner of Australia to Colombo, Canberra is working with New Delhi to provide fuel supplies to the Sri Lankan Navy and Air Force to combat illegal maritime activities.

The high commissioner announced as migrants, mostly from the country's northern and eastern regions, continued to flee the country illegally on boats amid the country's ongoing economic crisis, the worst in seven decades.

Many economic migrants who have fled Sri Lanka have attempted to reach Australia. Since the start of the economic crisis in April, there has been an increase in the number of boats intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy at sea across the country.

In a statement issued on 19 August, the Sri Lankan Navy said it had intercepted another boat carrying ten people who were trying to flee the country.

In May, the Australian Border Force (ABF) said it intercepted and turned back a boat carrying Sri Lankan migrants, raising concerns about a rise in illegal arrivals in Canberra. It was the first boat interception in Australian waters in many years.

Operation Sovereign Borders, a 2013 Australian government policy, seeks to deter illegal asylum seekers at sea and either return them to their port of origin or confinement them in a detention centre.

Since taking office in May, Australia's new government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has worked to strengthen Colombo's border security to prevent people from illegally fleeing the island.

During a June visit to Colombo, Australian Interior Minister Claire O'Neill announced that Canberra would fund the installation of GPS trackers on 4,000 Sri Lankan ships to "counter smuggling".

Apart from Australia, India has sought to strengthen Sri Lanka's maritime security to prevent illegal boats from leaving the country.

The economic crisis has resulted in not only shortages of fuel and food, but also inflation of 60.8 percent annually in July.
The United Nations-backed World Food Program (WFP) has also warned that the effects of the outbreak are forcing a quarter of the country's households to skip meals.

Sri Lanka defaulted on foreign debt worth $51 billion in April. The government announced in July that it would restrict petroleum imports until the country's current economic instability was resolved.

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