Which strait separates India from Sri Lanka?

The strait separating India from Sri Lanka is the Palk Strait.

It lies between India’s Tamil Nadu coast and Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, forming part of the maritime boundary between the two countries. The strait connects Palk Bay in the Bay of Bengal with the Gulf of Mannar, which opens toward the Laccadive Sea.

The waterway is relatively shallow and contains islands, sandbanks, and reef shoals. A chain of these formations is commonly called Adam’s Bridge or Ram Setu. Because of the shallow waters and reefs, the strait is difficult for large commercial ships to navigate, although fishing boats and smaller craft use it regularly.

The name comes from Robert Palk, who served as governor of Madras from 1755 to 1763 during the period of British East India Company rule. The Palk Strait is sometimes confused with the Gulf of Mannar, but they are connected water bodies rather than interchangeable names. Proposals for a shipping canal and a bridge linking India and Sri Lanka have been discussed for decades, but no permanent land link currently crosses the strait.