153155071 India Srilanka Relations

ContentsArticles

IndiaSri Lanka relations 1Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War 4Indian Peace Keeping Force 7Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 15Operation Poomalai 19

ReferencesArticle Sources and Contributors 22Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors 23

Article LicensesLicense 24

IndiaSri Lanka relations 1

IndiaSri Lanka relations

Indo-Sri Lankan relations

IndiaSri Lanka

Bilateral relations between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of India have beengenerally friendly, but were controversially affected by the Sri Lankan civil war and by the failure of Indianintervention during the war. India is the only neighbour of Sri Lanka, separated by the Palk Strait; both nationsoccupy a strategic position in South Asia and have sought to build a common security umbrella in the IndianOcean.[1]

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan civil warIn the 1970s-1980s, private entities and elements in the state government of Tamil Nadu were believed to beencouraging the funding and training for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a separatist insurgent force.[2][3] In1987, faced with growing anger amongst its own Tamils, and a flood of refugees,[] India intervened directly in theconflict for the first time after the Sri Lankan government attempted to regain control of the northern Jaffna regionby means of an economic blockade and military assaults, India supplied food and medicine by air and sea. Aftersubsequent negotiations, India and Sri Lanka entered into an agreement. The peace accord assigned a certain degreeof regional autonomy in the Tamil areas with Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) controllingthe regional council and called for the Tamil militant groups to lay down their arms. Further India was to send apeacekeeping force, named the IPKF to Sri Lanka to enforce the disarmament and to watch over the regionalcouncil.[2][4][][5]

Even though the accord was signed between the governments of Sri Lanka and India, with the Tamil Tigers andother Tamil militant groups not having a role in the signing of the accord,[] most Tamil militant groups accepted thisagreement,[6] the LTTE rejected the accord because they opposed the candidate, who belonged to another militantgroup named Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), for chief administrative officer of the mergedNorthern and Eastern provinces.[] Instead the LTTE named three other candidates for the position. The candidatesproposed by the LTTE were rejected by India.[7] The LTTE subsequently refused to hand over their weapons to theIPKF.[]

The result was that the LTTE now found itself engaged in military conflict with the Indian Army, and launched their first attack on an Indian army rations truck on October 8, killing five Indian para-commandos who were on board by strapping burning tires around their necks.[8] The government of India then decided that the IPKF should disarm the LTTE by force,[8] and the Indian Army launched number of assaults on the LTTE, including a month-long campaign dubbed Operation Pawan to win control of the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE. When the IPKF engaged the LTTE, the then president of Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa, began supporting LTTE and funded LTTE with arms.[]

During the warfare with the LTTE, IPKF was also alleged to have made human rights violation against the civilians. Notably, IPKF was alleged to have perpetrated Jaffna teaching hospital massacre which was the killing of over 70 civilians including patients, doctors and nurses.[] The ruthlessness of this campaign, and the Indian army's subsequent anti-LTTE operations made it extremely unpopular amongst many Tamils in Sri Lanka.[9][] The conflict


between the LTTE and the Indian Army left over 1,000 Indian soldiers dead.[1][2]

The Indo-Sri Lankan Accord, which had been unpopular amongst Sri Lankans for giving India a major influence,now became a source of nationalist anger and resentment as the IPKF was drawn fully into the conflict. Sri Lankansprotested the presence of the IPKF, and the newly-elected Sri Lankan president Ranasinghe Premadasa demanded itswithdrawal, which was completed by March 1990.[2] on May 21, 1991, Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated and the LTTEwas alleged to be the perpetrator. As a result India declared the LTTE to be a terrorist outfit in 1992. Bilateralrelations improved in the 1990s and India supported the peace process but has resisted calls to get involved again.[10]

India has also been wary of and criticised the extensive military involvement of Pakistan in the conflict, accusing thelatter of supplying lethal weaponry and encouraging Sri Lanka to pursue military action rather than peacefulnegotiations to end the civil war.[11]

Commercial tiesIndia and Sri Lanka are member nations of several regional and multilateral organisations such as the South AsianAssociation for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme, South AsianEconomic Union and BIMSTEC, working to enhance cultural and commercial ties. Since a bilateral free tradeagreement was signed and came into effect in 2000, Indo-Sri Lankan trade rose 128% by 2004 and quadrupled by2006, reaching USD 2.6 billion.[12][13] Between 2000 and 2004, India's exports to Sri Lanka in the last four yearsincreased by 113%, from USD 618 million to $1,319 million while Sri Lankan exports to India increased by 342%,from $44 million to USD $194 million.[12] Indian exports account for 14% of Sri Lankas global imports. India isalso the fifth largest export destination for Sri Lankan goods, accounting for 3.6% of its exports.[12] Both nations arealso signatories of the South Asia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA). Negotiations are also underway to expand thefree trade agreement to forge stronger commercial relations and increase corporate investment and ventures invarious industries.[13] The year 2010 is predicted to be the best year for bilateral trade on record, with Sri Lanka'sexports to India increasing by 45% over the first seven months of the year[14]

India's National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC) is also scheduled to build a 500 MW thermal power plant in Sampoor(Sampur). The NTPC claims that this plan will take the Indo-Sri Lankan relationship to new level.[15]

Fishermen IssueThere have been several alleged incidents of firing on Indian fishermen fishing in Palk Bay.[citation needed] IndianGovernment has always taken up the issue of safety of Indian fishermen on a priority basis with the Government ofSri Lanka. Presently there is no bonafide Indian fisherman in the Sri Lankan custody. A Joint Working Group (JWG)has been constituted to deal with the issues related to Indian fishermen straying in Sri Lankan territorial waters, workout modalities for prevention of use of force against them and the early release of confiscated boats and explorepossibilities of working towards bilateral arrangements for licensed fishing. The JWG last met in Jan 2006. Indiaofficially protested against Sri Lanka Navy for its alleged involvement in attacks on Indian fishermen on January 12,2011.[] Even after the official protest, another fisherman was killed in a brutal manner on Jan 22, 2011.[] Over 530fishermen have been killed in the last 30 years. The apathetic attitude of the Indian government and the nationalmedia towards the alleged killing of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy is being strongly condemned.[]

There has been a campaign on Social Network sites such as Twitter, Facebook etc. to stop these allegedincidents.[citation needed] Several Tamil Nadu politicians like Vaiko and Jayalalitha have condemned the federalgovernment for not doing enough to stop the killing of Indian Tamil fishermen.


Development CooperationIndia is active in a number of areas of development activity in Sri Lanka. About one-sixth of the total developmentcredit granted by GOI is made available to Sri Lanka.Lines of credit: In the recent past three lines of credit were extended to Sri Lanka: US$ 100 million for capital goods,consumer durables, consultancy services and food items, US$ 31 million for supply of 300,000 MT of wheat andUS$ 150 million for purchase of petroleum products. All of these lines of credit have been fully utilized. Anotherline of credit of US$ 100 million is now being made available for rehabilitation of the Colombo-Matara railway.A number of development projects are implemented under Aid to Sri Lanka funds. In 2006-07, the budget for Aidto Sri Lanka was Rs 28.2 Crs.Small Development Projects: A MoU on Cooperation in Small Development Projects has been signed. Projects forproviding fishing equipment to the fishermen in the East of Sri Lanka and solar energy aided computer education in25 rural schools in Eastern Sri Lanka are under consideration.Health Projects: India have supplied medical equipment to hospitals at Hambantota and Point Pedro, supplied 4 stateof the art ambulances to the Central Province, implemented a cataract eye surgery programme for 1500 people in theCentral Province and implemented a project of renovation of OT at Dickoya hospital and supplying equipment to it.The projects under consideration are: Construction of a 150-bed hospital at Dickoya, upgradation of the hospital atTrincomalee and a US$ 7.5 million grant for setting up a Cancer Hospital in Colombo.Education Projects: Upgradation of the educational infrastructure of the schools in the Central province includingteachers training, setting up of 10 computer labs, setting up of 20 e-libraries (Nenasalas), Mahatma Gandhischolarship scheme for +2 students and setting up of a vocational training centre in Puttalam. India also contributesto the Ceylon Workers Education Trust that gives scholarships to the children of estate workers.Training: A training programme for 465 Sri Lankan Police officers has been commenced in Dec 2005. Another 400Sri Lankan Police personnel are being trained for the course of Maintenance of Public Order.

References[1] India's Sri Lankan scars (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 2/ hi/ south_asia/ 735963. stm)[2] India - Sri Lanka (http:/ / lcweb2. loc. gov/ cgi-bin/ query/ r?frd/ cstdy:@field(DOCID+ in0174))[3] (http:/ / www. cfr. org/ publication/ 17707/ raw. html#p4)[4][4] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Hennayake S.K. Asian Survey, Vol. 29, No. 4. (April 1989), pp. 401-415.[6] O'Ballance, 91[7] O'Ballance, p.94[8] O'Ballance, p.100[10] India rules out Sri Lanka help (http:/ / news. bbc. co. uk/ 2/ hi/ south_asia/ 734357. stm)[11] The Pakistani muscle behind Colombo (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ atimes/ South_Asia/ HI22Df01. html)[12] FTA pushes up India, Lanka Trade by 128% (http:/ / www. bilaterals. org/ article. php3?id_article=770)[13] India, Sri Lanka aim to Broaden Free-Trade Agreement (http:/ / www. bloomberg. com/ apps/ news?pid=20601091& sid=aNJrUZR8ElJw&

refer=india)[14] Sri Lankas exports to India increase by 45% - Indian High Commissioner (http:/ / www. sundayobserver. lk/ 2010/ 09/ 19/ oostory.

asp?sid=20100923_02& imid=india2. jpg& dt=& #91;September 23 2010& #93;) Sunday Observer - September 23, 2010[15] India's Sri Lanka power project runs into Tamil storm (http:/ / in. news. yahoo. com/ indiaabroad/ 20080510/ r_t_ians_bs_india/

tbs-india-s-sri-lanka-power-project-runs-46e8b08. html)


External links Common gods, shared values thread India, Sri Lanka together (http:/ / overseasindian. in/ 2007/ aug/ news/

20072208-165357. shtml)

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War

Indian Intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil WarPart of the Sri Lankan civil war

Date 1987 - 24 March 1990

Location Sri Lanka

Result Withdrawal of the IPKF from Sri Lanka, Civil war continues. Tactical victory for Government of Sri Lanka.

Belligerents Indian Peace Keeping Force Military of Sri Lanka

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

Commanders and leaders R. Venkataraman Rajiv Gandhi V P Singh Maj.Gen. Harkirat Singh Maj.Gen. Ashok K. Mehta

Velupillai Prabhakaran

Casualties and lossesIPKF: 1,000+ killedSri Lanka: 26 Killed ; 578 Wounded

LTTE: 8000+ killed

The Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War was the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force inSri Lanka intended to perform a peacekeeping role. The deployment followed the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord betweenIndia and Sri Lanka of 1987 which was intended to end the Sri Lankan Civil War between militant Sri Lankan Tamilnationalists, principally the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and the Sri Lankan military.The original intention was the Indian Peace Keeping Force would not be involved in large scale military operations.However, after a few months, the Indian Peace Keeping Force engaged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in aseries of battles. During the two years in which it was deployed, the IPKF fought numerous battles against the LTTE.The IPKF began withdrawing in 1989, and completed the withdrawal in 1990.

BackgroundThe LTTE and other Tamil militant groups developed strong relationships with political parties in South India, suchas Dravidar Kazhagam (led by K. Veeramani), Kamaraj Congress (led by Nedumaran) and Pure Tamil Movement(led by Perunchithiranar) during late 1970s.[] These Tamil parties firmly backed the militants' cause of creating aseparate Tamil Eelam within Sri Lanka. Thereafter, LTTE developed relations with M. G. Ramachandran and M.Karunanidhi, who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, succeeding one another.Although Sri Lanka was a key member of Non-Aligned Movement in its initial stages, the Government of Sri Lanka's policies became pro-western as J. R. Jayewardene was elected prime minister with his landslide victory in 1977 parliamentary election. Subsequently he introduced a new constitution and Open economy to Sri Lanka. Sri

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War 5

Lanka is the first South-Asian country to adopt Liberal open economy.[1]

Moreover, President J. R. Jayawardene did not enjoy the same warm relationship with Indian Premier Indira Gandhithat he had enjoyed with her father, Premier Jawaharlal Nehru.[] Thus, with the outbreak of Black July ethnic riots,the Indian government decided to support the insurgent groups operating in Northern Sri Lanka.[citation needed]

Operation PoomalaiIndia became more actively involved in the late 1980s, and on June 5, 1987, the Indian Air Force airdropped foodparcels to Jaffna while it was under siege by Sri Lankan forces. At a time when the Sri Lankan government statedthey were close to defeating the LTTE, India dropped 25 tons of food and medicine by parachute into areas held bythe LTTE in a direct move of support toward the rebels.[2] Negotiations were held, and the Indo-Sri Lanka PeaceAccord was signed on July 29, 1987, by Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Jayewardene.Under this accord, the Sri Lankan Government made a number of concessions to Tamil demands, including adevolution of power to the provinces, a mergersubject to later referendumof the Northern and the Easternprovinces into the single province, and official status for the Tamil language (this was enacted as the 13thAmendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka). India agreed to establish order in the North and East through a forcedubbed the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), and to cease assisting Tamil insurgents. Militant groups includingthe LTTE, although initially reluctant, agreed to surrender their arms to the IPKF, which initially oversaw acease-fire and a modest disarmament of the militant groups.The signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord, so soon after JR Jayawardene's declaration that he would fight the Indians tothe last bullet, led to unrest in south. The arrival of the IPKF to take over control of most areas in the North of thecountry enabled the Sri Lanka government to shift its forces to the south (in Indian aircraft) to quell the protests. Thisled to an uprising by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in the south, which was put down bloodily over the next twoyears.

Conflict with the LTTEWhile most Tamil militant groups laid down their weapons and agreed to seek a peaceful solution to the conflict, theLTTE refused to disarm its fighters.[] Keen to ensure the success of the accord, the IPKF then tried to demobilize theLTTE by force and ended up in full-scale conflict with them. The three-year-long conflict was also marked by theIPKF being accused of committing various abuses of human rights by many human rights groups as well as somewithin the Indian media. The IPKF also soon met stiff opposition from the Tamils.[3][4]

Operation PawanOperation Pawan was the codename assigned to the operations by the Indian Peace Keeping Force to take control ofJaffna from the LTTE in late 1987 to enforce the disarmament of the LTTE as a part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord.In brutal fighting that took about three weeks, the IPKF took control of the Jaffna Peninsula from the LTTE rule,something that the Sri Lankan army had then tried and failed to achieve for several years. Supported by Indian Armytanks, helicopter gunships and heavy artillery, the IPKF routed the LTTE. But this victory came at a price, as theIPKF lost around 214 soldiers.[5]

The Jaffna University HelidropThe Jaffna University Helidrop was the first of the operations launched by the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) aimed at disarming the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) by force and securing the town of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, in the opening stages of Operation Pawan during the active Indian mediation in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Mounted on the midnight of 12 October 1988, the operation was planned as a fast heliborne assault involving Mi-8s of the No.109 HU, the 10th Para Commandos and a contingent of the 13th Sikh LI. The aim of the operation was to capture the LTTE

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War 6

leadership at Jaffna University building which served as the Tactical Headquarters of the LTTE, which was expectedto shorten Operation Pawan, the battle for Jaffna. However, the operation ended disastrously, failing to capture itsobjectives -owing to intelligence and planning failures. The helidropped force suffered significant casualties, withnearly the entire Sikh LI detachment of twenty nine troops falling to a man, along with six Paracommandos falling inbattle.

Withdrawal from Sri LankaSri Lankan nationalist sentiment led many Sinhalese to oppose the continued Indian presence in Sri Lanka. These ledto the Sri Lankan government's call for India to quit the island, and thatculminated in a ceasefire. The LTTE andIPKF continued to have frequent hostilities. Although casualties among the IPKF mounted, and calls for thewithdrawal of the IPKF from both sides of the Sri Lankan conflict grew, Gandhi refused to remove the IPKF fromSri Lanka. However, following his defeat in Indian parliamentary elections in December 1989, the new primeMinister V. P. Singh ordered the withdrawal of the IPKF, and their last ship left Sri Lanka on March 24, 1990.During the IPKF's stay in Sri Lanka, there had been many cases of massacres on innocent Sri Lankan Tamil civiliansby the Indian army, such as the 1989 Valvettiturai massacre and the Jaffna hospital massacre.

References[3] Balasingham, Adele. (2003) The Will to Freedom - An Inside View of Tamil Resistance. Fairmax Publishing Ltd, 2nd ed. ISBN

1-903679-03-6.[4][4] NorthEast Secretariat report on Human rights 1974 - 2004 (see Further Reading section).[5] Operation Pawan. The Battle for Jaffna (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ LAND-FORCES/ Army/ History/ 1987/ Chapter03. html)

Further reading Gunaratna, Rohan. (1997). International & Regional Security Implications of the Sri Lankan Tamil Insurgency,

AABC for International Studies. ISBN 955-95060-0-5 Gunaratna, Rohan. (1998). Sri Lanka's Ethnic Crisis and National Security, Colombo: South Asian Network on

Conflict Research. ISBN 955-8093-00-9 Gunaratna, Rohan. (October 1, 1987). War and Peace in Sri Lanka: With a Post-Accord Report From Jaffna, Sri

Lanka: Institute of Fundamental Studies. ISBN 955-8093-00-9

Indian Peace Keeping Force 7

Indian Peace Keeping Force

Indian Peace Keeping Force Active July 1987 March 1990

Country Sri Lanka

Allegiance India

Branch Indian ArmyIndian NavyIndian Air Force

Role PeacekeepingCounterinsurgencySpecial operations

Size 100,000 (peak)

Engagements Operation PawanOperation ViraatOperation TrishulOperation Checkmate

Decorations One Param Vir ChakraSix Maha Vir Chakras

CommandersNotablecommanders

Lieutenant General Depinder SinghMajor General Harkirat Singh (General OfficerCommanding)Lieutenant General S.C. SardeshpandeLieutenant General A.R. KalkatGp.Capt. M.P Premi [1] VrC, VM IAF

Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF; Hindi: ) was the Indian military contingent performing apeacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. It was formed under the mandate of the Indo-SriLankan Accord signed between India and Sri Lanka in 1987 that aimed to end the Sri Lankan Civil War betweenmilitant Sri Lankan Tamil nationalists such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankanmilitary.[2]The main task of the IPKF was to disarm the different militant groups, not just the LTTE. It was to be quicklyfollowed by the formation of an Interim Administrative Council. These were the as per the terms of the accordsigned between India and Sri Lanka, at the behest of Rajiv Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India. Given theescalating level of the conflict in Sri Lanka, and with the pouring of refugees into India, Rajiv Gandhi, took thedecisive step to push this accord through. The IPKF was inducted into Sri Lanka on the request of then-Sri Lankanpresident J. R. Jayewardene under the terms of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.[3]

The force was initially not expected to be involved in any significant combat by the Indian High Command.[4]

However, within a few months, the IPKF became embroiled in battle with the LTTE to enforce peace. The differences started with LTTE trying to dominate the Interim Administrative Council, and also refusing to disarm, which was a pre-condition to enforce peace in the island. Soon, these differences led to the LTTE attacking the IPKF, at which point the IPKF decided to disarm the LTTE militants, by force if required. In the two years it was in northern Sri Lanka, the IPKF launched a number of combat operations aimed at destroying the LTTE-led insurgency. Given LTTE's tactics in guerrilla warfare and using women and child soldiers to fight battles, it soon


escalated into repeated skirmishes between the IPKF and LTTE.The IPKF began withdrawing from Sri Lanka in 1989, following the election of the Vishwanath Pratap Singhgovernment in India and on the request of the newly elected Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa.[4] The lastIPKF contingents left Sri Lanka in March 1990.

BackgroundSri Lanka, from the early 1980s, was facing increasingly violent ethnic strife in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Theorigins of the Sri Lankan Civil War can be traced to the independence of Sri Lanka in 1948, after the end of Britishrule. At the time, a Sinhalese majority government was instituted. This government, which included the TamilCongress, passed legislation deemed discriminatory by some against the native Tamil minority in Sri Lanka.In the 1970s, two major Tamil parties, the Tamil Congress and a split-off, the Federal Party united to form the TamilUnited Liberation Front (TULF), a separatist Tamil nationalist group that agitated for a separate state of TamilEelam in north and eastern Sri Lanka[5] that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy within the federal structure.However, the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka, enacted in August 1983, classified all separatistmovements as unconstitutional,[3][3] Outside the TULF, Tamil factions advocating more militant courses of actionsoon emerged, and the ethnic divisions eventually led to violent civil war.[5]

Indian involvement and interventionInitially, first under Indira Gandhi[6][7] and later under Rajiv Gandhi, the Indian Government sympathised with theTamil insurrection in Sri Lanka because of the strong support for the Tamil cause within the Indian state of TamilNadu. Emboldened by this support, supporters in Tamil Nadu provided a sanctuary for the separatists and helped theLTTE smuggle arms and ammunition into Sri Lanka, making them the strongest force on the island. In fact in 1982,the LTTE supremo Prabhakran was arrested by the police in Tamil Nadu, for a shoot-out with his rival UmaMaheswaran, in the middle of the city. Both of them were arrested and later released by the police. This activity wasleft unchecked as India's regional and domestic interests wanted to limit foreign intervention on what was deemed asa racial issue between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. To this end, the Indira Gandhi government sought to make itclear to Sri Lankan president Junius Richard Jayewardene that armed intervention in support of the Tamil movementwas an option India would consider if diplomatic solutions should fail.[8]

The first round of civil violence flared in 1983 when the killing of 13 soldiers of the Sri Lanka Army sparkedanti-Tamil pogromsthe Black July riotsin which approximately 400 Tamils were killed. The riots only aided inthe deterioration of the ethnic relations. Militant factions, including the LTTE, at this time recruited in large numbersand continued building on popular Tamil dissent and stepped up the guerrilla war. By May 1985, the guerrillas werestrong enough to launch an attack on Anuradhapura, attacking the Bodhi Tree shrinea sacred site for BuddhistSinhalesefollowed by a rampage through the town. At least 150 civilians died in the hour long attack.Rajiv Gandhi's government attempted to re-establish friendly relations with the various factions in Sri Lanka whilemaintaining diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the conflict as well as limiting overt aid to the Tamil fighters.[8][9]

The Sri Lankan government, deducing a decline in support for the Tamil rebels from India, tried to rearming itself extensively for its anti-insurgent role with support from Pakistan, Israel, Singapore, and South Africa.[8][10] In 1986, the campaign against the insurgency was stepped up. In 1987, retaliating against an increasingly bloody insurgent movement, the Vadamarachchi Operation (Operation Liberation) was launched against LTTE strongholds in Jaffna Peninsula. The operation involved nearly 4,000 troops, supported by helicopter gunships as well as ground-attack aircraft.[8] In June 1987, the Sri Lankan Army laid siege on the town of Jaffna.[11] This resulted in large-scale civilian casualties and created a condition of humanitarian crisis.[12] India, which had a substantial Tamil population in South India faced the prospect of a Tamil backlash at home, called on the Sri Lankan government to halt the offensive in an attempt to negotiate a political settlement. However, the Indian efforts were unheeded. Added to this,


in the growing involvement of Pakistani advisers, it was necessary for Indian interest to mount a show of force.[8]

Failing to negotiate an end to the crisis with Sri Lanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that it wound send a convoyof unarmed ships to northern Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance[13] but this was intercepted by the SriLankan Navy and forced to turned back.[14]

Following the failure of the naval mission the decision was made by the Indian government to mount an airdrop ofrelief supplies in aid of the beleaguered civilians over the besieged city of Jaffna. On 4 June 1987, in a bid to providerelief, the Indian Air Force mounted Operation Poomalai. Five Antonov An-32s under fighter cover flew over Jaffnato airdrop 25 tons of supplies, all the time keeping well within the range of Sri Lankan radar coverage. At the sametime the Sri Lankan Ambassador to New Delhi, Bernard Tilakaratna, was summoned to the Foreign Office to beinformed by the Minister of State, External Affairs, K. Natwar Singh, of the ongoing operation and also indicatedthat the operation was expected not to be hindered by the Sri Lankan Air Force. The ultimate aim of the operationwas both to demonstrate the seriousness of the domestic Tamil concern for the civilian Tamil population andreaffirming the Indian option of active intervention to the Sri Lankan government.[12]

The Indo-Sri Lanka AccordFollowing Operation Poomalai, faced with the possibility of an active Indian intervention and lacking any possibleally, the President, J. R. Jayewardene, offered to hold talks with the Rajiv Gandhi government on future moves.[11]

The siege of Jaffna was soon lifted, followed by a round of negotiations that led to the signing of the Indo-SriLankan Accord on 29 July 1987[15] that brought a temporary truce. Crucially however, the negotiations did notinclude the LTTE as a party to the talks.The signing of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord on 29 July 1987[15] brought a temporary truce to the Sri Lankan CivilWar. Under the terms of the agreement,[16][17] Colombo agreed to a devolution of power to the provinces the SriLankan troops were withdrawn to their barracks in the north, the Tamil rebels were to disarm.[18]

The Mandate for the IPKFAmong the provisions undersigned by the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord was the commitment of Indian military assistanceshould this be requested for by the Sri Lankan Government, as well as the provision of an Indian Peace KeepingForce that would "guarantee and enforce the cessation of hostilities".[8][16] It was on these grounds, and on therequest of President J. R. Jayewardene, that Indian troops were inducted to Northern Sri Lanka. J N Dixit, the thenIndian ambassador to Colombo, in an interview to rediff.com in 2000 described that ostensibly, Jayawardene'sdecision to request Indian assistance came in the face of increasing civil riots and violence within the southernSinhala majority areas, including the capital Colombo that were initiated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and theSri Lanka Freedom Party that necessitated the withdrawal of the Sri Lankan Army from the Tamil areas of northernSri Lanka to maintain order.[4]

IPKF Order of BattleOriginally a reinforced division with small naval and air elements, the IPKF at its peak deployed four divisions andnearly 80,000 men with one mountain (4th) and three Infantry Divisions (36th, 54th, 57th) as well as supportingarms and services. At the peak of its operational deployment, IPKF operations also included a large IndianParamilitary Force and Indian Special Forces elements. Indeed Sri Lanka was first theatre of active operation for theIndian Navy Commandos. The main deployment of the IPKF was in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Upon itswithdrawal from Sri Lanka the IPKF was renamed the 21st Corps and was headquartered near Bhopal and became aquick reaction force for the Indian army.


Indian ArmyThe first Indian Army troops to be inducted into Sri Lanka were a ten thousand strong force from the 54th Infantrydivision, composed of elements of the Sikh Light Infantry, the Maratha Light Infantry and the Mahar Regimentwhich flew into Palay airbase,[19] from 30 July onwards. This was followed later by the 36th Infantry division. ByAugust, the 54th Infantry Division under the command of Maj Gen Harkirat Singh and the 340th Indian Inf Bde hadlanded in Sri Lanka. By 1987, the IPKF consisted of[12]

54th Air Assault Division. (Major General Harkirat Singh (General Officer Commanding), Brigadier KulwantSingh, Dy GOC):- Became an infantry division later due to lack of airlift capacity within the Indian armed forces. 10 Para Commando. (Jaffna) an attached unit 65 Armoured regiment-with T-72 tanks, played a major role in the operations. The regiment was deployed in

all parts of the island where the operations were taking place. 91 Infantry Brigade (Jaffna)

5th Battalion of the Madras Regiment 8th Battalion ot the Mahar Regiment 1 Maratha Light Infantry Bn

76 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier I.M. Dhar) (Mannar, Vavuniya, Mulliativu) 47 Infantry Brigade (Trincomalee-Batticoloa-Amparai)

36 Infantry Division.[citation needed]

115 Infantry Brigade.(Jaffna) 5th Bn The First Gorkha Rifles. (5/1 GR). (Battle of Urumparai, Battle of Nallur Temple Jaffana, Battle of

Manipai) 72 Infantry Brigade.(Jaffna) 4 Bn./5 Gorkha Regiment. 13 Sikh LI Bn.

41 Infantry Brigade. (Jaffna) 5 Rajputana Rifles

57th Infantry Division, trained in jungle warfare, 4th Mountain division, only two brigades used. Independent Units

340 Independent Infantry Brigade (Amphibious). (Trincomalee) The Indian Marines 18 Infantry Brigade. (Jaffna) 5 Para Battalion.

Indian Air ForceSoon after its intervention in Sri Lanka and especially after the confrontation with the LTTE, the IPKF received asubstantial commitment from the Indian Air Force, mainly transport and helicopter squadrons under the command ofGp.Capt. M.P Premi [1], including:[20]

No. 19 Squadron- Antonov An-32s No 109 and No. 119 Helicopter Units Mil Mi-8 helicopters. No. 125 HU Mil Mi-24s. No. 664 AOP Squadron Chetak and Cheetah


Indian NavyThe Indian Navy regularly rotated naval vessels through Sri Lanka waters, mostly smaller vessels such as patrolboats. Indian Naval Air Arm

No. 321 Squadron of the Indian Navy- HAL Chetaks No. 310 Squadron of the Indian Navy- Breguet Aliz

MARCOS (also the Marine Commando Force or MCF) Took part in Operation Pawan (Hindi, "wind") in 1987and in the raid on an LTTE base at Guru Nagar. MARCOS operators (including Lt Singh) boarded two Geminirafts off the coast of Jaffna City and towed two wooden rafts of explosives into a channel leading to the city'sGuru Nagar Jetty. Avoiding mines, eight men and two officers shifted to the wooden rafts and paddled to the jettythen fixed demolition charges to the jetty and LTTE speedboats. The commandos were detected but laid downsuppressive fire and detonated the explosives before retreating to the Geminis without taking casualties. Twonights later, commandos swam back into the harbour amidst heavy patrolling by the LTTE to destroy theremaining speedboats. They were again detected and sustained minor injuries. These actions helped recaptureTrincomalee and Jaffna harbours from the LTTE. For leading these actions the 30-year old Lt. Singh became theyoungest officer to receive the Maha Vir Chakra Award.[citation needed]

Indian paramilitary forces Central Reserve Police Force Indian Coast Guard

Combat operationsJaffna University Helidrop

Analysis

CasualtiesThe IPKF suffered around 1,200 killed in action and several thousand wounded. The LTTE casualties are not knownreliably but it is assumed that approximately 8000-11000 were killed and several thousand were injured.

Intelligence FailuresThe Indian intelligence agencies failed to consistently provide accurate information to the forces. One example is theJaffna football ground massacre. The LTTE's disinformation machinery leaked information to the Indian army thatthe LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was hiding in a building near the Jaffna university football ground.[citationneeded] The operation plan was chalked out. It was decided to airdrop commandos on the ground while subsequentmovement by tank formation ensured that Prabhakaran was caught alive. It was a good plan on paper. The formationmoved out. Battle-hardened commandos were selected for the operation. The commandos started moving down fromhelicopter. But soon bullets rained in on the commandos from LTTE fighters and sharpshooters perched on the rooftops. The choppers also came under fire. The fate of the tanks moving in pincer formation on the ground was notmuch different. The LTTE had laid anti-tank mines in the way leading to the operational zone. The irony of theentire story was that the man they were hunting for was nowhere around the area on the day of the operation.[21]

The IPKF complained that accurate maps of the operational theatres were not made available to them by the variousintelligence agencies.[citation needed]

There was also a case where an agent of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was killed in an ambush set up by the IPKF. He had been acting on orders to carry out back channel diplomacy and peacetalks with the LTTE.[citation


needed]

ImpactThe IPKF mission while having gained tactical successes, did not succeed in its intended goals. On 21 May 1991, theLTTE assassinated Rajiv Gandhi for his role in sending the IPKF to Sri Lanka.The primary impact of the IPKF, has been that it shaped India's counter-insurgency techniques and military doctrine.On the international scene, it does not find significant mention in National or International military history. Thepolitical fallout, the IPKF's casualties, as well as the deterioration of international relations has however shapedIndia's foreign policy towards the Sri Lankan conflict. (see below)

Assassination of Rajiv GandhiThe decision to send the IPKF in Sri Lanka was taken by then prime-minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi, who heldoffice until 1989. The operation in Sri Lanka was one of the factors that led to the ouster of the Rajiv Gandhi-ledCongress government in 1989.Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at a rally at Sriperumbudur on 21 May 1991, while he was campaigning forre-election during the 1991 Indian General Election, by a suicide bomber, who was a member of the LTTE, namedDhanu.

India's foreign policyThe debacle that was IPKF's intervention in Sri Lanka is raised at times in Indian political discourse whenever thesituation in Sri Lanka shows signs of deteriorating, and there is a question of intervening; or, in Sri Lankan politics(particularly by the LTTE), when it is proposed that India, or, more broadly, other foreigners, ought to have a role inpromoting peace on the island nation.As a result, relations between India and Sri Lanka became extremely sour and India vowed never to offer anymilitary help to Sri Lanka again. This policy has not been changed since and no defence pact has been signedbetween India and Sri Lanka. India has never been directly involved in the peace talks between the LTTE and SriLanka but has supported Norway's efforts.

ControversiesThe IPKF's role in the Sri Lankan conflict was much maligned by voices both there and at home at the time. It wasalleged by the LTTE to have engaged in a number of incidents of human rights violation. Some neutral organisationsalso alleged the IPKF and LTTE to have engaged with scant regard for civilian safety and to have violated humanrights. These allegations led to considerable outcry and public resentment within Sri Lanka as well as India,especially in Tamil Nadu, where the IPKF came to be viewed as an invading and oppressing force.Indian forces were accused of indulging in number of civilian massacres, Involuntary disappearances and rapes during their time in the Northeastern province of Sri Lanka.[22][23] These include complicity in the incidents such as Valvettiturai massacre in which on 2, 3, and 4 August 1989 over 50 Tamils were massacred by the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Valvettiturai, Jaffna. In addition to the killings over 100 homes, shops and other property were also burnt and destroyed.[24] Another notable incident was the Jaffna teaching hospital massacre on 22 October 1987, following a confrontation with Tamil militants near the hospital, IPKF quickly entered the hospital premises and massacred over 70 civilians. These civilians included patients, two doctors, three nurses and a paediatric consultant who were all in uniform. The hospital never completely recovered after this massacre.[25][26][] The IPKF was also accused of complicity in murder of Sinhalese civilians in the 1987 Trincomalee massacre where according to Asian Times in August 1987, a number of majority Sinhalese civilians were massacred. The then Sri Lankan government accused the Madras Regiment posted in the Trincomalee district of complicity, although the Indian officials denied


responsibility, they withdrew the Madras Regiment from Trincomalee district.[27]

War MemorialThe Sri Lankan government had mooted the idea of a war memorial to those soldiers of the IPKF who lost their livesduring the peacekeeping mission, in the early Nineties during President Premadasa's rule. The memorial was finallyconstructed in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte [28] on the outskirts of Colombo in 2008. The names of the 1200 soldierswho died are inscribed on black marble. The first official memorial service was held on 15 August 2010 when theIndian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Shri Ashok Kantha laid a wreath to honour the dead. The absence of arepresentative of the Sri Lankan government has been criticised by Indian ex-servicemen who had served in theconflict.[29]

References[1] http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ Database/ 8378[2] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ wiki/ Indian_Peace_Keeping_Force#endnote_1[3] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri Lanka.Hennayake S.K. Asian Survey, Vol. 29, No. 4. (Apr. 1989), pp. 401415.[4] J N Dixit (ex-Indian Ambassador to Colombo) speaking to Rediff.com (http:/ / in. rediff. com/ news/ 2000/ mar/ 24lanka. htm)[5] Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of

Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org (http:/ / www. globalsecurity. org/ military/ world/ para/ ltte. htm)[6] India's search for power:Indira Gandhi's Foreign Policy.19661982. Mansingh S. New Delhi:Sage 1984. p282[7] A commission, before it proceeded to draw up criminal proceedings against others, must recommend Indira Gandhi's posthumous

prosecution Mitra A. Rediff on Net (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ dec/ 01mitra. htm)[8] India's Regional Security Doctrine. Hagerty D.T. Asian Survey, Vol. 31, No. 4. (Apr. 1991), pp. 351363[9] Research and Analysis Wing. Fas.org (http:/ / www. fas. org/ irp/ world/ india/ raw/ )[10] The Colombo Chill. Bobb D. India Today. 31 March 1986. p. 95.[11] India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels" (http:/ / query. nytimes. com/ gst/ fullpage. html?sec=health&

res=9B0DE0D8173FF936A35755C0A961948260& n=Top/ News/ World/ Countries and Territories/ India), The New York Times. 5 June1987

[12] "Operation Poomalai India Intervenes" Bharat-rakshak.com (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ LAND-FORCES/ Army/ History/ 1987/Chapter02. html)

[13] "Indians To Send convoy to Sri Lanka", The New York Times. 2 June 1987[14] "Indian Flotilla is turned back by Sri Lankan Naval Vessels," The New York Times. 4 June 1987[15] Background Note: Sri Lanka (http:/ / www. state. gov/ r/ pa/ ei/ bgn/ 5249. htm) United States Department of State[16] ETHNIC POLITICS AND CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: THE INDO-SRI LANKAN ACCORD. Marasinghe M.L. Int Compa

Law Q.Vol. 37. p551-587 (http:/ / iclq. oxfordjournals. org/ cgi/ reprint/ 37/ 3/ 551. pdf)[17] Sri Lanka: The Untold Story Chapter 35: Accord turns to discord (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/ DD13Df02. html)[18] New Delhi & the Tamil Struggle. The Indo Sri Lanka Agreement. Satyendra N. Tamil Nation (http:/ / www. tamilnation. org/ intframe/

india/ 88saty. htm)[19] Sri Lanka- war without end, peace without hope. Colonel(retd) A A Athale (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ 2000/ may/ 22lanka. htm)[20] http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ History/ 1987IPKF/ Pushpindar01. html The Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka[21] Asia Times: India/Pakistan (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/ DF08Df01. html)[23][23] p.181[25][25] p.246[26][26] p.546[28] http:/ / goo. gl/ maps/ gOqoz[29] . At IPKF Memorial, India finally pays homage. (http:/ / webcache. googleusercontent. com/ search?q=cache:Y5Gqru1cO1kJ:www.

hindustantimes. com/ At-IPKF-memorial-India-finally-pays-homage/ Article1-587232. aspx) Hindustan Times, 15 Aug 2010, Colombo.Accessed 17 August 2010.


Notes and Further reading ^ Dixit, J. N. (2003) Assignment Colombo. Vijitha Yapa Publications, Colombo, ISBN 955-8095-34-6 ^ Adele Balasingham. (2003) The Will to Freedom An Inside View of Tamil Resistance. Fairmax Publishing

Ltd, 2nd ed. ISBN 1-903679-03-6 ^ Narayan Swamy, M. R. (2002) Tigers of Lanka: from Boys to Guerrillas. Konark Publishers; 3rd ed. ISBN

81-220-0631-0 ^ 18 anniversary of Jaffna hospital massacre (http:/ / www. tamilnet. com/ art. html?catid=13& artid=13203)

Tamilnet.com report ^ Asian Time series on Indian -Pakistan involvement in Sri Lanka (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/

DD20Df03. html) by K.T.Rajasingham ^ SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/ DD13Df02. html) Chapter 35:

Accord turns to discord By K.T.Rajasingham

External links India Child article on IPKF operations (http:/ / www. indianchild. com/ india_peace_keeping_operations. htm) India's VietNam (http:/ / in. rediff. com/ news/ 2000/ mar/ 23lanka. htm) Civilians Affected by War in Northeast Ceylon (http:/ / nesohr. org/ human-rights-reports/

StatisticsOnCiviliansAffectedByWar. pdf?PHPSESSID=8204ff9bfa58e205f71a95c3899f8835) The Indian Army in Sri Lanka 19871990 (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ LAND-FORCES/ Army/ History/

1987/ index. html) Indian Jawan (http:/ / www. indianjawan. com/ )- A Tribute to the Indian Soldier Overview of Mission (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ 2000/ mar/ 24lanka. htm) Case Study in Operations Other Than War (http:/ / www. stormingmedia. us/ 40/ 4004/ A400492. html) Tamil Nation on Rajiv Gandhi's War Crimes (http:/ / www. tamilnation. org/ intframe/ india/ warcrimes/ index.

htm) The Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka 19871990 (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/ History/ 1987IPKF/ ) Shocking disclosures (http:/ / www. frontlineonnet. com/ fl2418/ stories/ 20070921505807900. htm) Intervention in Sri Lanka: The IPKF Experience Retold (http:/ / www. amazon. com/ dp/ 8173047057) A Mission in Jaffna & the Memories of War-Torn Jaffna (http:/ / books. google. lk/ books?id=MrBi0ghiZN0C&

pg=PA91& dq=IPKF+ German+ Memories+ in+ Asia& sig=-NnNJKQMAxK9Xfd2b2mqOFC7lEA)

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 15

Indo-Sri Lanka AccordThe Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was an accord signed in Colombo on July 29, 1987, between Indian PrimeMinister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene. The accord was expected to resolve the ongoingSri Lankan civil war. Under the terms of the agreement,[1][2] Colombo agreed to a devolution of power to theprovinces, the Sri Lankan troops were to be withdrawn to their barracks in the north and the Tamil rebels were tosurrender their arms.[3][4]

Importantly however, the Tamil groups, notably the LTTE (which at the time was one of the strongest Tamil forces)had not been made party to the talks and initially agreed to surrender their arms to the IPKF only reluctantly. Withina few months however, this flared into an active confrontation. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)declared their intent to continue the armed struggle for an independent Tamil Eelam and refused to disarm. TheIndian Peace-Keeping Force found itself engaged in a bloody police action against the LTTE. Further complicatingthe return to peace was a burgeoning Sinhalese insurgency in the south.

Sri Lankan Civil War

Location of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, from the early part of the 1980s, was facing an increasinglyviolent ethnic strife. The origins of this conflict can be traced to theindependence of the island from Britain in 1948 . At the time, a Sinhalamajority government was instituted which passed legislation that weredeemed discriminatory against the substantial Tamil minoritypopulation. In the 1970s, two major Tamil parties united to form theTamil United Liberation Front (TULF) that started agitation for aseparate state of Tamil Eeelam within the system in a federal structurein the north and eastern Sri Lanka[5] that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy. However, enactment of the sixthamendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution in August 1983 classified all separatist movements as unconstitutional,[6]

effectively rendering the TULF ineffective.[6] Outside the TULF, however, factions advocating more radical andmilitant courses of action soon emerged, and the ethnic divisions started flaring into a violent civil war.[5]

Indian InvolvementIndia had, initially under Indira Gandhi[7][8] and later under Rajiv Gandhi, provided support to Tamil interests fromthe very conception of the secessionist movement. This included providing sanctuary to the separatists, as well assupport the operations training camps for Tamil guerrillas in Tamil Nadu[9] of which the LTTE emerged as thestrongest force. This was both as a result of a large Tamil community in South India, as well as India's regionalsecurity and interests which attempted to reduce the scope of foreign intervention, especially those linked to theUnited States, Pakistan, and China.[9] To this end, the Indira Gandhi Government sought to make it clear to the SriLankan President, Jayewardene that armed intervention in support of the Tamil movement was an option Indiawould consider if any diplomatic solutions should fail.[9] Following the anti-Tamil riots, the Tamil rebel movementgrew progressively strong and increasingly violent. However,after Indira Gandhi's assassination, the Indian supportfor the militant movement decreased. However, the succeeding Rajiv Gandhi government attempted to re-establishfriendly relations with its neighbours. It still however maintained diplomatic efforts to find a solution to the conflictas well as maintaining covert aid to the Tamil rebels.[9][10]


Operation LiberationFrom 1985 however, the Sri-Lankan Government started rearming itself extensively for its anti-insurgent role withsupport from Pakistan, Israel, Singapore and South Africa.[9][11] In 1986, the campaign against the insurgency wasstepped up and in 1987, retaliating an increasingly bloody insurgent movement, Operation Liberation was launchedagainst LTTE strongholds in Jaffna Peninsula, involving nearly four thousand troops, supported by helicoptergunships as well as Ground attack aircraft.[9] In June 1987, the Sri Lankan Army laid siege on the town of Jaffna.[12]

As civilian casualties grew,[13][14] calls grew within India to intervene in what was increasingly seen in the Indian(and Tamil) media as a developing humanitarian crisis, especially with reports use of aerial support against rebelpositions in civilian areas.[14][15] India, which had a substantial Tamil population in South India faced the prospect ofa Tamil backlash at home, called on the Sri Lankan government to halt the offensive in an attempt to negotiate apolitical settlement.

Operation PoomalaiHowever, the Indian efforts were futile. Added to this, in the growing involvement of Pakistani and Israeli advisors,it was necessary for Indian interest to mount a show of force.[9] Failing to negotiate an end to the crisis with SriLanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that it would send a convoy of unarmed ships to northern Sri Lanka toprovide humanitarian assistance[16] but this was intercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy and turned back.[17]

Following the failure of the naval mission, the decision was made by the Indian government to mount an airdrop ofrelief supplies in support of rebel forces over the besieged city of Jaffna. On 4 June 1987, in a blatant show of force,the Indian Air Force mounted Operation Poomalai in broad daylight. Five An-32s of the Indian Air Force undercover of heavily armed Indian fighter jets flew over Jaffna to airdrop 25 tons of supplies, all the time keeping wellwithin the range of Sri Lankan radar coverage. At the same time the Sri Lankan Ambassador to New Delhi wassummoned to the Foreign Office to be informed by the Minister External Affairs, K. Natwar Singh, of the ongoingoperation. It was also indicated to the Ambassador that if the operation was in any way hindered by Sri Lanka, Indiawould launch a full-force military retaliation against Sri Lanka.[18] The ultimate aim of the operation was both todemonstrate the credibility of the Indian option of active intervention to the Sri Lankan Government, as a symbolicact of support for the Tamil Rebels, as well to preserve Rajiv Gandhi's credibility.[19]

Faced with the possibility of an active Indian intervention and facing an increasingly war-weary population athome,[20] the Sri Lankan President, J. R. Jayewardene, offered to hold talks with the Rajiv Gandhi government onfuture moves.[12] The siege of Jaffna was soon lifted, followed by a round of negotiations that led to the signing ofthe Indo-Sri-Lankan accord on July 29, 1987[21] that brought a temporary truce. The terms of the truce specified thatthe Sri Lankan troops withdraw from the north and the Tamil rebels disarm,[3] and saw the induction of the IPKF as apeace keeping force in Sri Lanka.

The Peace AccordAmong the salient points of the agreement,[4] the Sri Lankan Government made a number of concessions to Tamildemands, which included[1][2] Colombo devolution of power to the provinces, merger (subject to later referendum)of the northern and eastern provinces, and official status for the Tamil language.[4] More immediately, OperationLiberation the successful, ongoing anti-insurgent operation by Sri Lankan forces in the Northern peninsula was ended. Sri Lankan troops were to withdraw to their barracks in the north, the Tamil rebels were to disarm.[3]

India agreed to end support for the Tamil separatist movement and recognise the unity of Sri Lanka.[4] The Indo-SriLanka Accord also underligned the commitment of Indian military assistance on which the Indian Peace KeepingForce came to be inducted into Sri Lanka.In 1990, India withdrew the last of its forces from Sri Lanka, and fighting between the LTTE and the governmentresumed. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and government forces committed serious human rights violationsagainst one another.


In January 1995, the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam agreed to a cease fire as apreliminary step in a government-initiated plan for peace negotiations. After 3 months, however, the LiberationTigers of Tamil Eelam unilaterally resumed hostilities.The government of Sri Lanka then adopted a policy of military engagement with the Tigers, with government forcesliberating Jaffna from LTTE control by mid-1996 and moving against LTTE positions in the northern part of thecountry called the Vanni. An LTTE counteroffensive, begun in October 1999, reversed most government gains; andby May 2000, threatened government forces in Jaffna. Heavy fighting continued into 2001.

Assault on Rajiv GandhiOn the eve of the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, Rajiv Gandhi was assaulted by Leading Rate Vijitha Rohanaat the Guard of Honour held for Gandhi in what seemed an attempted assassination. Four years later, in 1991, RajivGandhi was assassinated by a LTTE suicide bomber. This radically reduced support for the LTTE within India. In2009, 19 years after his assassination, the Sri Lankan army mounted a major military offensive in the north anderadicated the LTTE. The operation was not opposed by India and received Indian diplomatic and military support,despite condemnations from state of Tamil Nadu and Western nations for alleged human rights violations. RajivGandhi's widow, Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of India's ruling coalition at the time.

References[1] M. L. Marasinghe (1988). Ethnic Politics and Constitutional Reform: The Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. International and Comparative Law

Quarterly, 37, pp 551-587 (http:/ / journals. cambridge. org/ abstract_S0020589300047734)[2] Sri Lanka: The Untold Story Chapter 35: Accord turns to discord (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/ DD13Df02. html)[3] New Delhi & the Tamil Struggle. The Indo Sri Lanka Agreement. Satyendra N. Tamil Nation (http:/ / www. tamilnation. org/ intframe/ india/

88saty. htm)[4] Text of the Peace accord. Tamil Nation (http:/ / www. tamilnation. org/ conflictresolution/ tamileelam/ 87peaceaccord. htm#a1)[5] Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of

Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org (http:/ / www. globalsecurity. org/ military/ world/ para/ ltte. htm)[6][6] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri Lanka.Hennayake S.K. Asian Survey, Vol. 29, No. 4. (Apr., 1989), pp. 401-415.[7][7] India's search for power:Indira Gandhi's Foreign Policy.1966-1982. Mansingh S. New Delhi:Sage 1984. p282[8] A commission, before it proceeded to draw up criminal proceedings against others, must recommend Indira Gandhi's posthumous prosecution

Mitra A. Rediff on Net (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ dec/ 01mitra. htm)[9][9] India's Regional Security Doctrine. Hagerty D.T. Asian Survey, Vol. 31, No. 4. (Apr., 1991), pp. 351-363[10] Research and Analysis Wing. Fas.org (http:/ / www. fas. org/ irp/ world/ india/ raw/ )[11] The Colombo Chill. Bobb D.India Today.March 31.1986. p95.[12] India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels" (http:/ / query. nytimes. com/ gst/ fullpage. html?sec=health&


[13][13] Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP. Pfaffenberger B. Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 2, A Survey of Asia in1987: Part II. (Feb., 1988), pp. 139

[14] India Enters; The Airdrop and the L.T.T.E.'s Dilemma. (http:/ / www. uthr. org/ BP/ volume1/ Chapter8. htm)[15] Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil Nadu.Chapter I - Phase II (19871988). Jain Commission Interim Report (http:/ / www.

tamilnation. org/ intframe/ india/ jaincommission/ growth_of_tamil_militancy/ ch1sec5. html)[16] "Indians To Send convoy to Sri Lanka", The New York Times. 2 June 1987[17] "Indian Flotilla is turned back by Sri Lankan Naval Vessels", The New York Times. 4 June 1987[18] "Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka.Operation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop." Bharat-rakshak.com (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/

History/ 1987IPKF/ Chapter1. html)[19] "Operation Poomalai - India Intervenes" Bharat-rakshak.com (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ LAND-FORCES/ Army/ History/ 1987/

Chapter02. html)[20][20] Sri Lanka's Ethnic Conflict: The Indo-Lanka Peace Accord Ralph R. Premdas; S. W. R. de A. Samarasinghe Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 6.

(Jun., 1988), pp. 676-690.[21] Background Note: Sri Lanka. U.S Dept. of State (http:/ / www. state. gov/ r/ pa/ ei/ bgn/ 5249. htm)


External links Full Text of Indo-Sri Lanka Accord (http:/ / peacemaker. un. org/ node/ 1173) Text of all peace accords for Sri Lanka (http:/ / peacemaker. un. org/ document-search?keys=&

field_padate_value[value][date]=& field_pacountry_tid=Sri+ Lanka) Tigers go back to Indo-Lanka accord for federal state (http:/ / www. indiaexpress. com/ news/ world/ 20031101-0.

html) Muslims have a Case in Sri Lanka (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ query?url=http:/ / www. geocities. com/

mforumsl/ lw3. htm& date=2009-10-26+ 02:32:55) Indo-Sri Lanka trade: Hype and reality (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ atimes/ South_Asia/ FC12Df05. html) SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 35: Accord turns to discord (http:/ / www. atimes. com/ ind-pak/

DD13Df02. html) PEACE PROCESS IN SRI LANKA --- WITH AND WITHOUT MEDIATION (http:/ / www. irs. org. pk/ Focus

2003. htm) ETHNIC PEACE ACCORDS AND ETHNIC CONFLICT RESOLUTION: A SURVEY (http:/ / www. american.

edu/ jrich/ Richardson. peace. html) Dr. PC Alexander, former Principal Secretary of Rajiv Gandhi - bares it all on the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987

(http:/ / www. asiantribune. com/ show_news. php?id=11310) "Peace for all with equal rights"Minister (http:/ / www. dailymirror. lk/ 2002/ 10/ 19/ News/ 3. html) Wickremesinghe Apprises I K Gujral of Stalled Peace Process in Sri Lanka (http:/ / www. asiantribune. com/

show_news. php?id=11650) Tiger Rebels are either black or white but not both (http:/ / www. lankaweb. com/ news/ items04/ 170204-1. html) SLFP to discuss peace process with Indian leaders (http:/ / www. hinduonnet. com/ thehindu/ 2002/ 12/ 02/

stories/ 2002120203591200. htm) PEACE PROCESS IN SRI-LANKA (http:/ / www. asian-affairs. com/ Sri-Lanka/ sugeeswara. html) TIGERS, 'MODERATES' AND PANDORA'S PACKAGE (http:/ / ourworld. compuserve. com/ homepages/

sinhala/ pandora. htm) The road ahead (http:/ / www. flonnet. com/ fl1909/ 19090120. htm) When guns cease to fire (http:/ / www. hinduonnet. com/ thehindu/ mag/ 2002/ 04/ 07/ stories/

2002040700140300. htm) LTTE to take Indo-Lankan accord in peace bid (http:/ / www. expressindia. com/ fullstory. php?newsid=25634)

Operation Poomalai 19

Operation PoomalaiOperation Poomalai or Eagle Mission 4 was the codename assigned to a mission undertaken by the Indian AirForce to air-drop supplies over the besieged town of Jaffna in Sri Lanka on 4 June 1987 in support of Tamil Tigersduring the Sri Lankan Civil War.Jaffna was at the time under blockade by Sri Lankan troops as a part of Colombo's offensive against the Tamilseparatist movement. Concerned over alleged violations of interests of the Tamils, who had broader support amongthe Tamil population of South India as well as the government, India attempted to negotiate a political settlement butthe Indian offers had been rebuffed by Colombo. As civilian casualties grew,[1][2] calls grew within India tointervene in what was increasingly seen in the Indian (and Tamil) media as a developing humanitarian crisis,especially with reports of aerial bombardment against rebel positions in civilian areas.[2][3] The Indian Governmentunder Rajiv Gandhi decided to attempt to deliver aid to the northern area of Sri Lanka as a symbolic act of support tothe rebels. The first of these efforts, a small naval flotilla, was thwarted by the Sri Lankan Navy. Two days later, in ashow of force, India mounted the airdrop over Jaffna.

BackgroundThe ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka can be traced to the independence of the island in 1948 from Britain. At the time aSinhala majority government was instituted that passed legislation deemed discriminatory by the substantial Tamilminority population. In the 1970s two major Tamil parties united to form the Tamil United Liberation Front(TULF) that started agitating for a separate state of Tamil Eelam within the system in a federal structure in northernand eastern Sri Lanka[4] that would grant the Tamils greater autonomy. Outside the TULF, however, factionsadvocating more radical and militant courses of action soon emerged, and the divisions started flaring into a violentcivil war.[4]

The first round of violence flared in 1983 when the killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers sparked anti-Tamil riots inwhich nearly 400 Tamils died. The riots only aided in the deterioration of the already worsening ethnic strife. Themilitant factions, notably the LTTE, at this time recruited in large numbers and continued building on popular Tamildissent and stepped up the guerrilla activities. By May 1985 the guerrillas were strong enough to launch an attack onAnuradhapura, attacking the Bodhi Tree shrine a sacred site for Buddhist Sinhalese followed by a rampagethrough the town. At least 150 civilians died in the hour-long attack.The government stepped up its campaign against the insurgency, and the Sri Lankan army in 1987 laid siege to thetown of Jaffna, an LTTE stronghold, as part of its campaign against the Tamil bases.[5] This resulted in large-scalecivilian casualties and created a condition of humanitarian crisis.[6] India, which had a substantial Tamil populationin the southern part of the country, had been aiding the Tamil factions and particularly the LTTE[7] and called on theSri Lankan government to halt the offensive in an attempt to negotiate a political settlement. However, the Indianefforts were futile. Failing to negotiate an end to the crisis with Sri Lanka, India announced on 2 June 1987 that itwound send a convoy of unarmed ships to northern Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance[8] but this wasintercepted by the Sri Lankan Navy and turned back.[9]

Following the failure of the naval mission, the decision was madeboth as a show of force to the Sri Lankangovernment of symbolic support for the Tamil rebels as well as an act to preserve the credibility of Indian primeminister Rajiv Gandhi among the country's Tamil populationby the Indian Government to carry out an airdrop ofthe humanitarian supplies, designated Operation Poomalai (Tamil: Garland) or Eagle Mission 4[6]


Operation PoomalaiMounted on the evening of 4 June 1987, the operation involved five An-32s of the Paratroop Training School inAgra, escorted by five Mirage 2000s of the No. 7 Squadron. On the morning of 3 June No. 7 Squadron was directedto send a five-ship detachment to Bangalore Airport, where they were re-directed to Yelahanka airbase north of thecity. At the same time, under the supervision of the (then) Vice-Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal S. Raghavendran, fiveAn-32s were loaded with the relief supplies and took off for Bangalore at 0800 hours. These were to fly outled byGp. Capt. B.K. Sunder, CO of Paratroop Training Schoolafter dawn and carry out the supply drop under the coverof the Mirages, which were led by Wg. Cdr. Ajit Bhavnani, CO of No. 7 Squadron.[10] A group of 35 national andinternational journalists also joined the flight. The Mirages were armed with two Matra Magic II AAMs as a measureagainst any opposition by the Sri Lankan Air Force, and also carried three drop tanks.[5][10]

The Sri Lankan Ambassador to New Delhi was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs at 1500 hours, wherethe message was conveyed by Minister of External Affairs Natwar Singh that the Indian Air Force would be flying amission at 1600 hours to drop supplies over Jaffna. The ambassador was told that the aircraft were expected tocomplete their mission unhindered and any opposition by the Sri Lankan Air Force "would be met by force" by theescorting Mirage 2000s.[10]

The first of the flights left Bangalore at 15:55 hours and flew towards the Coramandel coast, where they were met byfour Mirage escorts. One Mirage stayed back acting as radio relay, along with two additional An-32s over TamilNadu, which acted as radio relay to Bangalore.The flight leader attempted radio contact with Colombo ATC over the civilian air traffic radio channel at 1647 hours,but was unable to establish contact. The mission approached Jaffna peninsula at about 1650 hours and sighted JaffnaTown itself at 1700 hours. The aircraft descended from 12000 feet to about 1500 feet and carried out the drop at thedrop zone about 7km from the town of Jaffna. The aircraft then turned in a western direction, flying over Palayairbase before turning north, heading for the Indian coast.Unopposed by Sri Lankan forces, the mission arrived back over Bangalore at 1813 hours, where they were greetedwith much jubilation.

AftermathIn the wake of Operation Poomalai, Sri Lanka accused India of violating its sovereignty.[5][11] However, Indiadefended its actions as a mercy mission in aid of what were termed as the deteriorating conditions of the civilianpopulation, refusing at the time to rule out further missions.[5] Within India, the actions were endorsed across thepolitical diaspora[12] In India, it was seen at the time as an act of support against the beleaguered and besieged Tamilpopulation of the north an opinion that was destined to undergo a drastic reversal after the assassination of RajivGandhi by the LTTE in 1991. At that time, Colombo deemed it as a blatant show of support for the Tamil Tigers.The total supply air dropped by India during the operation amounted to little over 25 tons, and this was clearly notsufficient to sustain a besieged city.Faced with the possibility of an active Indian intervention, Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene offered to holdtalks with the Rajiv Gandhi government on future moves.[5] The siege of Jaffna was soon lifted, followed by a roundof negotiations that led to the signing of the Indo-Sri-Lankan accord on July 29, 1987[13] that brought a temporarytruce. The terms of the truce specified that the Sri Lankan troops withdraw from the north and the Tamil rebelsdisarm,[14] and saw the induction of the IPKF as a peace keeping force in Sri Lanka.


References[1] Sri Lanka in 1987: Indian Intervention and Resurgence of the JVP. Pfaffenberger B. Asian Survey, Vol. 28, No. 2, A Survey of Asia in

1987: Part II. (Feb., 1988), pp. 139[2] India Enters; The Airdrop and the L.T.T.E.'s Dilemma. (http:/ / www. uthr. org/ BP/ volume1/ Chapter8. htm)[3] Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil Nadu.Chapter I - Phase II (1987-1988). Jain Commission Interim Report (http:/ / www.

tamilnation. org/ intframe/ india/ jaincommission/ growth_of_tamil_militancy/ ch1sec5. html)[4] Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), World Tamil Association (WTA), World Tamil Movement (WTM), Federation of Associations of

Canadian Tamils (FACT), Ellalan Force. GlobalSecurity.org (http:/ / www. globalsecurity. org/ military/ world/ para/ ltte. htm)[5] India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels" (http:/ / query. nytimes. com/ gst/ fullpage. html?sec=health&


[6] "Operation Poomalai - India Intervenes" Bharat-rakshak.com (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ LAND-FORCES/ Army/ History/ 1987/Chapter02. html)

[7] Research and Analysis Wing. Fas.org (http:/ / www. fas. org/ irp/ world/ india/ raw/ )[8] "Indians To Send convoy to Sri Lanka", The New York Times. 2 June 1987[9] "Indian Flotilla is turned back by Sri Lankan Naval Vessels", The New York Times. 4 June 1987[10] "Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka.Operation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop." Bharat-rakshak.com (http:/ / www. bharat-rakshak. com/ IAF/

History/ 1987IPKF/ Chapter1. html)[11] "IAF drops relief supplies over Jaffna". The Hindu, 5 June 1987.[12] Gandhi Opponents Back Move. The New York Times 5th June 1987 (http:/ / select. nytimes. com/ gst/ abstract.

html?res=F40710FB3D5A0C768CDDAF0894DF484D81& n=Top/ News/ World/ Countries and Territories/ India)[13] Background Note: Sri Lanka. U.S Dept. of State (http:/ / www. state. gov/ r/ pa/ ei/ bgn/ 5249. htm)[14] New Delhi & the Tamil Struggle. The Indo Sri Lanka Agreement. Satyendra N. Tamil Nation (http:/ / www. tamilnation. org/ intframe/ india/

88saty. htm)

Article Sources and Contributors 22

Article Sources and ContributorsIndiaSri Lanka relations Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=562808566 Contributors: Barticus88, Bazonka, Blackknight12, C0MRADE, ChrisGualtieri, Chzz, Cossde,Dewritech, EoGuy, Evano1van, Good Olfactory, Ias2008, John of Reading, Kanatonian, Mangostar, Mikroblgeovn, Pectore, Rjwilmsi, Russavia, Sardanaphalus, Sujays, Tavix, Tolly4bolly,Vishnava, Watchdogb, Woohookitty, 27 anonymous edits

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=561225464 Contributors: Astronomyinertia, Axeman89, Blackknight12, Bluerocks777,Charles Essie, Frietjes, Gfosankar, Hammersoft, Khazar2, KplFlUSA, Mark Arsten, Noren, Obi2canibe, PhilKnight, Placelimit, Shyamsunder, TheOriginalSoni, Tpbradbury, , 20 anonymousedits

Indian Peace Keeping Force Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=562369813 Contributors: Aldis90, AndirisAiyya, AnnaFrance, Apokrif, Arpitbajpai, Arthena, Arunjaja,AshLin, Ashish20, Bachrach44, Barticus88, Belasd, Ben Ben, Bharatveer, Black Falcon, Blackknight12, Bmiltte, CalJW, Calliopejen1, Calvinkrishy, Charles Essie, ChrisGualtieri, Citermon,Ckkumar, Crystallina, DBigXray, DSuran, De Administrando Imperio, Deepak, Degen Earthfast, Denverjeffrey, Donnyt, Easwarno1, Echuck215, Falphin, Firsfron, Frietjes, Giraffedata, HAHS25, Hmains, Hydraton31, IAF, Immunize, IndianCow, Iohannes Animosus, Iridescent, Jacksonanthony, Jaiiaf, Jamevay, Kanatonian, Kandyboy, Karnan, Keith12, Lahiru k, Lankanboy,Lightmouse, LtNOWIS, Makrandjoshi, Mboverload, MilborneOne, Miq, Nandu, Neutrality, Nono64, Nv8200p, Ohconfucius, Patoldanga'r Tenida, PhilKnight, Pigman, Placelimit, PopularMax,Praveen pillay, R'n'B, RegentsPark, Rich Farmbrough, Richard Keatinge, Rjwilmsi, RoyBoy, Rueben lys, RyanGerbil10, Sardanaphalus, Sarvagnya, Scientizzle, Scourgeofgod, SebastianHelm,Sethuramiah, Shan246, Shovon76, Shyamsunder, SinhalaPOWEr, Snowolfd4, Sooriyajeevan, SpacemanAfrica, SpacemanSpiff, Spliffy, Steven J. Anderson, Strangelv, Strike Eagle,Sundaryourfriend, Sunil060902, The Thing That Should Not Be, TheOriginalSoni, Tomtom9041, Tyronen, Ulflarsen, Umapathy, Vishnava, Watchdogb, Wavelength, Wayward, Welsh, Who,Yaush, YellowMonkey, Yucatann, Zoohouse, 207 anonymous edits

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=556564818 Contributors: AllGloryToTheHypnotoad, Ardfern, Barticus88, Blackknight12, CALR, Cossde,Crystallina, Davecrosby uk, Dewritech, Dr. Blofeld, Duk, Frietjes, Gaius Cornelius, Gettingthere, Gfosankar, Good Olfactory, Gr8opinionater, Ilolelele19, Jimmyvanthach, Kanags, Kanatonian,Lairor, Magickmonkey54, Maproom, Molecular b, Netmonger, Neutrality, Noble4, Rich Farmbrough, Rjwilmsi, Rockfang, Rueben lys, Sardanaphalus, Share Bear, Shyamsunder, Snowolfd4,Steven J. Anderson, Tobias Conradi, Tyronen, Ulflarsen, VishalB, Vishnava, 20 anonymous edits

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Image Sources, Licenses and ContributorsFile:India Sri Lanka Locator.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:India_Sri_Lanka_Locator.svg License: Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 3.0 Contributors:Sawol, 1 anonymous editsFile:Flag of India.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_India.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Anomie, MifterFile:Flag of Sri Lanka.svg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Flag_of_Sri_Lanka.svg License: Public Domain Contributors: Zscout370Image:LocationSriLanka.png Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:LocationSriLanka.png License: Public Domain Contributors: --Snowolfd4, --Vardion

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