ContentsArticles

IndiandashSri 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

IndiandashSri 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 Peoples 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 armys subsequent anti-LTTE operations made it extremely unpopular amongst many Tamils in Sri Lanka[9][] The conflict

IndiaSri Lanka relations 1

IndiandashSri 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 Peoples 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 armys subsequent anti-LTTE operations made it extremely unpopular amongst many Tamils in Sri Lanka[9][] The conflict

IndiaSri Lanka relations 2

between the LTTE and the Indian Army left over 1000 Indian soldiers dead[1][2]

The Indo-Sri Lankan Accord which had been unpopular amongst Sri Lankans for giving India a major influencenow 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 26 billion[12][13] Between 2000 and 2004 Indias exports to Sri Lanka in the last four yearsincreased by 113 from USD 618 million to $1319 million while Sri Lankan exports to India increased by 342from $44 million to USD $194 million[12] Indian exports account for 14 of Sri Lankarsquos global imports India isalso the fifth largest export destination for Sri Lankan goods accounting for 36 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 Lankasexports to India increasing by 45 over the first seven months of the year[14]

Indias 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 122011[] 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

IndiaSri Lanka relations 3

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 LankaLines of credit In the recent past three lines of credit were extended to Sri Lanka US$ 100 million for capital goodsconsumer durables consultancy services and food items US$ 31 million for supply of 300000 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 railwayA number of development projects are implemented under lsquoAid to Sri Lankarsquo funds In 2006-07 the budget for lsquoAidto Sri Lankarsquo was Rs 282 CrsSmall 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 considerationHealth 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 itThe projects under consideration are Construction of a 150-bed hospital at Dickoya upgradation of the hospital atTrincomalee and a US$ 75 million grant for setting up a Cancer Hospital in ColomboEducation Projects Upgradation of the educational infrastructure of the schools in the Central province includingteachersrsquo 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 workersTraining 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 lsquoMaintenance of Public Orderrsquo

References[1] Indias 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 rfrd cstdyfield(DOCID+ in0174))[3] (http www cfr org publication 17707 raw htmlp4)[4][4] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri Lanka Hennayake SK Asian Survey Vol 29 No 4 (April 1989) pp 401-415[6] OBallance 91[7] OBallance p94[8] OBallance p100[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 php3id_article=770)[13] India Sri Lanka aim to Broaden Free-Trade Agreement (http www bloomberg com apps newspid=20601091amp sid=aNJrUZR8ElJwamp

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

aspsid=20100923_02amp imid=india2 jpgamp dt=amp 91September 23 2010amp 93) Sunday Observer - September 23 2010[15] Indias 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)

IndiaSri Lanka relations 4

External linksbull 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 MajGen Harkirat Singh MajGen Ashok K Mehta

Velupillai Prabhakaran

Casualties and lossesIPKF 1000+ 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 militaryThe original intention was the Indian Peace Keeping Force would not be involved in large scale military operationsHowever 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 LTTEThe 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 MKarunanidhi who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu succeeding one anotherAlthough Sri Lanka was a key member of Non-Aligned Movement in its initial stages the Government of Sri Lankas 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 riotsthe 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 JayewardeneUnder this accord the Sri Lankan Government made a number of concessions to Tamil demands including adevolution of power to the provinces a mergermdashsubject to later referendummdashof 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 groupsThe signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord so soon after JR Jayawardenes 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 AccordIn brutal fighting that took about three weeks the IPKF took control of the Jaffna Peninsula from the LTTE rulesomething 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 No109 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 governments 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 1990During the IPKFs 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 readingbull Gunaratna Rohan (1997) International amp Regional Security Implications of the Sri Lankan Tamil Insurgency

AABC for International Studies ISBN 955-95060-0-5bull Gunaratna Rohan (1998) Sri Lankas Ethnic Crisis and National Security Colombo South Asian Network on

Conflict Research ISBN 955-8093-00-9bull 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 Forceभारतीय शानति सना

Active July 1987 ndash March 1990

Country Sri Lanka

Allegiance India

Branch Indian ArmyIndian NavyIndian Air Force

Role PeacekeepingCounterinsurgencySpecial operations

Size 100000 (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 SC SardeshpandeLieutenant General AR KalkatGpCapt MP Premi [1] VrC VM IAF

Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF Hindi भारतीय शानति सना) 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 LTTEs tactics in guerrilla warfare and using women and child soldiers to fight battles it soon

Indian Peace Keeping Force 8

escalated into repeated skirmishes between the IPKF and LTTEThe 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 LankaIn 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 structureHowever 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 1982the 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 Indias 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 pogromsmdashthe Black July riotsmdashin 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 shrinendasha sacred site for BuddhistSinhalesendashfollowed by a rampage through the town At least 150 civilians died in the hour long attackRajiv Gandhis 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 4000 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

Indian Peace Keeping Force 9

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 talksThe 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 rediffcom in 2000 described that ostensibly Jayawardenesdecision 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 80000 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 Peace Keeping Force 10

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]

bull 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 forcesbull 10 Para Commando (Jaffna) ndash an attached unitbull 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 placebullbull 91 Infantry Brigade (Jaffna)

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

bullbull 76 Infantry Brigade (Brigadier IM Dhar) (Mannar Vavuniya Mulliativu)bullbull 47 Infantry Brigade (Trincomalee-Batticoloa-Amparai)

bull 36 Infantry Division[citation needed]

bullbull 115 Infantry Brigade(Jaffna)bullbull 5th Bn The First Gorkha Rifles (51 GR) (Battle of Urumparai Battle of Nallur Temple Jaffana Battle of

Manipai)bullbull 72 Infantry Brigade(Jaffna)bull 4 Bn5 Gorkha Regimentbull 13 Sikh LI Bn

bullbull 41 Infantry Brigade (Jaffna)bull 5 Rajputana Rifles

bull 57th Infantry Division trained in jungle warfarebull 4th Mountain division only two brigades usedbullbull Independent Units

bull 340 Independent Infantry Brigade (Amphibious) (Trincomalee) The Indian Marinesbullbull 18 Infantry Brigade (Jaffna)bullbull 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 ofGpCapt MP Premi [1] including[20]

bull No 19 Squadron- Antonov An-32sbull No 109 and No 119 Helicopter Units ndash Mil Mi-8 helicoptersbull No 125 HU ndash Mil Mi-24sbull No 664 AOP Squadron Chetak and Cheetah

Indian Peace Keeping Force 11

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

bull No 321 Squadron of the Indian Navy- HAL Chetaksbull No 310 Squadron of the Indian Navy- Breguet Alizeacute

bull MARCOS (also the Marine Commando Force or MCF) ndash 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 citysGuru 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 forcesbullbull Central Reserve Police Forcebullbull Indian Coast Guard

Combat operationsJaffna University Helidrop

Analysis

CasualtiesThe IPKF suffered around 1200 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 LTTEs disinformation machinery leaked information to the Indian army thatthe LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was hiding in a building near the Jaffna university football ground[citation

needed] 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

Indian Peace Keeping Force 12

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 LankaThe primary impact of the IPKF has been that it shaped Indias counter-insurgency techniques and military doctrineOn the international scene it does not find significant mention in National or International military history Thepolitical fallout the IPKFs casualties as well as the deterioration of international relations has however shapedIndias 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 1989Rajiv 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

Indias foreign policyThe debacle that was IPKFs 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 nationAs 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 Norways efforts

ControversiesThe IPKFs 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 Indiaespecially in Tamil Nadu where the IPKF came to be viewed as an invading and oppressing forceIndian 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

Indian Peace Keeping Force 13

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 Premadasas 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_Forceendnote_1[3] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri LankaHennayake SK Asian Survey Vol 29 No 4 (Apr 1989) pp 401ndash415[4] J N Dixit (ex-Indian Ambassador to Colombo) speaking to Rediffcom (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 GlobalSecurityorg (http www globalsecurity org military world para ltte htm)[6] Indias search for powerIndira Gandhis Foreign Policy1966ndash1982 Mansingh S New DelhiSage 1984 p282[7] A commission before it proceeded to draw up criminal proceedings against others must recommend Indira Gandhis posthumous

prosecution Mitra A Rediff on Net (http www rediff com news dec 01mitra htm)[8] Indias Regional Security Doctrine Hagerty DT Asian Survey Vol 31 No 4 (Apr 1991) pp 351ndash363[9] Research and Analysis Wing Fasorg (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 htmlsec=healthamp

res=9B0DE0D8173FF936A35755C0A961948260amp n=Top News World Countries and Territories India) The New York Times 5 June1987

[12] Operation Poomalai ndash India Intervenes Bharat-rakshakcom (http www bharat-rakshak com LAND-FORCES Army History 1987Chapter02 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 ML Int Compa

Law QVol 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 amp 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 IndiaPakistan (http www atimes com ind-pak DF08Df01 html)[23][23] p181[25][25] p246[26][26] p546[28] http goo gl maps gOqoz[29] At IPKF Memorial India finally pays homage (http webcache googleusercontent com searchq=cacheY5Gqru1cO1kJwww

hindustantimes com At-IPKF-memorial-India-finally-pays-homage Article1-587232 aspx) Hindustan Times 15 Aug 2010 ColomboAccessed 17 August 2010

Indian Peace Keeping Force 14

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

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

81-220-0631-0bull ^ 18 anniversary of Jaffna hospital massacre (http www tamilnet com art htmlcatid=13amp artid=13203)

Tamilnetcom reportbull ^ Asian Time series on Indian -Pakistan involvement in Sri Lanka (http www atimes com ind-pak

DD20Df03 html) by KTRajasinghambull ^ SRI LANKA THE UNTOLD STORY (http www atimes com ind-pak DD13Df02 html) Chapter 35

Accord turns to discord By KTRajasingham

External linksbull India Child article on IPKF operations (http www indianchild com india_peace_keeping_operations htm)bull Indias VietNam (http in rediff com news 2000 mar 23lanka htm)bull Civilians Affected by War in Northeast Ceylon (http nesohr org human-rights-reports

StatisticsOnCiviliansAffectedByWar pdfPHPSESSID=8204ff9bfa58e205f71a95c3899f8835)bull The Indian Army in Sri Lanka 1987ndash1990 (http www bharat-rakshak com LAND-FORCES Army History

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

htm)bull The Indian Air Force in Sri Lanka 1987ndash1990 (http www bharat-rakshak com IAF History 1987IPKF )bull Shocking disclosures (http www frontlineonnet com fl2418 stories 20070921505807900 htm)bull Intervention in Sri Lanka The IPKF Experience Retold (http www amazon com dp 8173047057)bull A Mission in Jaffna amp the Memories of War-Torn Jaffna (http books google lk booksid=MrBi0ghiZN0Camp

pg=PA91amp dq=IPKF+ German+ Memories+ in+ Asiaamp 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 JR 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 Indias 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 Howeverafter Indira Gandhis 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]

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 16

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 advisorsit 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 forcethe 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 Gandhis 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 mdash the successful ongoing anti-insurgent operation by Sri Lankan forces in the Northern peninsula mdashwas 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 LankaIn 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

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 17

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 hostilitiesThe 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 supportdespite condemnations from state of Tamil Nadu and Western nations for alleged human rights violations RajivGandhis widow Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of Indias 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 amp 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 htma1)[5] Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) World Tamil Association (WTA) World Tamil Movement (WTM) Federation of Associations of

Canadian Tamils (FACT) Ellalan Force GlobalSecurityorg (http www globalsecurity org military world para ltte htm)[6][6] The Peace Accord and the Tamils in Sri LankaHennayake SK Asian Survey Vol 29 No 4 (Apr 1989) pp 401-415[7][7] Indias search for powerIndira Gandhis Foreign Policy1966-1982 Mansingh S New DelhiSage 1984 p282[8] A commission before it proceeded to draw up criminal proceedings against others must recommend Indira Gandhis posthumous prosecution

Mitra A Rediff on Net (http www rediff com news dec 01mitra htm)[9][9] Indias Regional Security Doctrine Hagerty DT Asian Survey Vol 31 No 4 (Apr 1991) pp 351-363[10] Research and Analysis Wing Fasorg (http www fas org irp world india raw )[11] The Colombo Chill Bobb DIndia TodayMarch 311986 p95[12] India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels (http query nytimes com gst fullpage htmlsec=healthamp

res=9B0DE0D8173FF936A35755C0A961948260amp n=Top News World Countries and Territories India) The New York Times 5 June1987

[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 LTTEs Dilemma (http www uthr org BP volume1 Chapter8 htm)[15] Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil NaduChapter I - Phase II (1987ndash1988) 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 LankaOperation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop Bharat-rakshakcom (http www bharat-rakshak com IAF

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

Chapter02 html)[20][20] Sri Lankas 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 US Dept of State (http www state gov r pa ei bgn 5249 htm)

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord 18

External linksbull Full Text of Indo-Sri Lanka Accord (http peacemaker un org node 1173)bull Text of all peace accords for Sri Lanka (http peacemaker un org document-searchkeys=amp

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

html)bull Muslims have a Case in Sri Lanka (http www webcitation org queryurl=http www geocities com

mforumsl lw3 htmamp date=2009-10-26+ 023255)bull Indo-Sri Lanka trade Hype and reality (http www atimes com atimes South_Asia FC12Df05 html)bull SRI LANKA THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 35 Accord turns to discord (http www atimes com ind-pak

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

2003 htm)bull ETHNIC PEACE ACCORDS AND ETHNIC CONFLICT RESOLUTION A SURVEY (http www american

edu jrich Richardson peace html)bull 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 phpid=11310)bull Peace for all with equal rightsMinister (http www dailymirror lk 2002 10 19 News 3 html)bull Wickremesinghe Apprises I K Gujral of Stalled Peace Process in Sri Lanka (http www asiantribune com

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

stories 2002120203591200 htm)bull PEACE PROCESS IN SRI-LANKA (http www asian-affairs com Sri-Lanka sugeeswara html)bull TIGERS MODERATES AND PANDORAS PACKAGE (http ourworld compuserve com homepages

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

2002040700140300 htm)bull LTTE to take Indo-Lankan accord in peace bid (http www expressindia com fullstory phpnewsid=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 WarJaffna was at the time under blockade by Sri Lankan troops as a part of Colombos 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 crisisespecially 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 ndash a sacred site for Buddhist Sinhalese ndash followed by a rampagethrough the town At least 150 civilians died in the hour-long attackThe 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 mademdashboth 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 countrys Tamil populationmdashby the Indian Government to carry out an airdrop ofthe humanitarian supplies designated Operation Poomalai (Tamil Garland) or Eagle Mission 4[6]

Operation Poomalai 20

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 outmdashled byGp Capt BK Sunder CO of Paratroop Training Schoolmdashafter 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 1555 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 BangaloreThe flight leader attempted radio contact with Colombo ATC over the civilian air traffic radio channel at 1647 hoursbut 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 7 km from the town of Jaffna The aircraft then turned in a western direction flying over Palayairbase before turning north heading for the Indian coastUnopposed 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 ndash 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 TigersThe total supply air dropped by India during the operation amounted to little over 25 tons and this was clearly notsufficient to sustain a besieged cityFaced 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

Operation Poomalai 21

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 LTTEs Dilemma (http www uthr org BP volume1 Chapter8 htm)[3] Growth of Sri Lankan Tamil Militancy in Tamil NaduChapter 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 GlobalSecurityorg (http www globalsecurity org military world para ltte htm)[5] India Airlifts Aid to Tamil Rebels (http query nytimes com gst fullpage htmlsec=healthamp

res=9B0DE0D8173FF936A35755C0A961948260amp n=Top News World Countries and Territories India) The New York Times 5 June1987

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

[7] Research and Analysis Wing Fasorg (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 LankaOperation Poomalai - The Jaffna Food drop Bharat-rakshakcom (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

htmlres=F40710FB3D5A0C768CDDAF0894DF484D81amp n=Top News World Countries and Territories India)[13] Background Note Sri Lanka US Dept of State (http www state gov r pa ei bgn 5249 htm)[14] New Delhi amp 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 ContributorsIndiandashSri Lanka relations Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphpoldid=562808566 Contributors Barticus88 Bazonka Blackknight12 C0MRADE ChrisGualtieri Chzz CossdeDewritech EoGuy Evano1van Good Olfactory Ias2008 John of Reading Kanatonian Mangostar Mikroboslashlgeovn Pectore Rjwilmsi Russavia Sardanaphalus Sujays Tavix Tolly4bollyVishnava Watchdogb Woohookitty 27 anonymous edits

Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphpoldid=561225464 Contributors Astronomyinertia Axeman89 Blackknight12 Bluerocks777Charles Essie Frietjes Gfosankar Hammersoft Khazar2 KplFlUSA Mark Arsten Noren Obi2canibe PhilKnight Placelimit Shyamsunder TheOriginalSoni Tpbradbury Δ 20 anonymousedits

Indian Peace Keeping Force Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphpoldid=562369813 Contributors Aldis90 AndirisAiyya AnnaFrance Apokrif Arpitbajpai Arthena ArunjajaAshLin Ashish20 Bachrach44 Barticus88 Belasd Ben Ben Bharatveer Black Falcon Blackknight12 Bmiltte CalJW Calliopejen1 Calvinkrishy Charles Essie ChrisGualtieri CitermonCkkumar 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 LankanboyLightmouse LtNOWIS Makrandjoshi Mboverload MilborneOne Miq Nandu Neutrality Nono64 Nv8200p Ohconfucius Patoldangar Tenida PhilKnight Pigman Placelimit PopularMaxPraveen pillay RnB RegentsPark Rich Farmbrough Richard Keatinge Rjwilmsi RoyBoy Rueben lys RyanGerbil10 Sardanaphalus Sarvagnya Scientizzle Scourgeofgod SebastianHelmSethuramiah Shan246 Shovon76 Shyamsunder SinhalaPOWEr Snowolfd4 Sooriyajeevan SpacemanAfrica SpacemanSpiff Spliffy Steven J Anderson Strangelv Strike EagleSundaryourfriend Sunil060902 The Thing That Should Not Be TheOriginalSoni Tomtom9041 Tyronen Ulflarsen Umapathy Vishnava Watchdogb Wavelength Wayward Welsh WhoYaush YellowMonkey Yucatann Zoohouse 207 anonymous edits

Indo-Sri Lanka Accord Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphpoldid=556564818 Contributors AllGloryToTheHypnotoad Ardfern Barticus88 Blackknight12 CALR CossdeCrystallina Davecrosby uk Dewritech Dr Blofeld Duk Frietjes Gaius Cornelius Gettingthere Gfosankar Good Olfactory Gr8opinionater Ilolelele19 Jimmyvanthach Kanags KanatonianLairor Magickmonkey54 Maproom Molecular b Netmonger Neutrality Noble4 Rich Farmbrough Rjwilmsi Rockfang Rueben lys Sardanaphalus Share Bear Shyamsunder Snowolfd4Steven J Anderson Tobias Conradi Tyronen Ulflarsen VishalB Vishnava 20 anonymous edits

Operation Poomalai Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphpoldid=549876599 Contributors Appraiser Ardfern Barticus88 Betterusername Biruitorul Black Falcon Blackknight12BrianBoru10 Dudewheresmywallet Frietjes Harryboyles Hmains Incnis Mrsi Ingolfson JLaTondre Ketiltrout Knverma LittleWink Lokubandara Novalis Praveen pillay Publicus Rahul801 Riotrocket8676 Rockfang Rueben lys Shan246 Shyamsunder Snowolfd4 Steven J Anderson Tamiliam Vishnava 18 anonymous edits

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Image Sources Licenses and ContributorsFileIndia Sri Lanka Locatorsvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileIndia_Sri_Lanka_Locatorsvg License Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 30 ContributorsSawol 1 anonymous editsFileFlag of Indiasvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileFlag_of_Indiasvg License Public Domain Contributors Anomie MifterFileFlag of Sri Lankasvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileFlag_of_Sri_Lankasvg License Public Domain Contributors Zscout370ImageLocationSriLankapng Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileLocationSriLankapng License Public Domain Contributors --Snowolfd4 --Vardion

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Image Sources Licenses and ContributorsFileIndia Sri Lanka Locatorsvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileIndia_Sri_Lanka_Locatorsvg License Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 30 ContributorsSawol 1 anonymous editsFileFlag of Indiasvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileFlag_of_Indiasvg License Public Domain Contributors Anomie MifterFileFlag of Sri Lankasvg Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileFlag_of_Sri_Lankasvg License Public Domain Contributors Zscout370ImageLocationSriLankapng Source httpenwikipediaorgwindexphptitle=FileLocationSriLankapng License Public Domain Contributors --Snowolfd4 --Vardion

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LicenseCreative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 30 Unportedcreativecommonsorglicensesby-sa30