THE CONFLICT IN FOREIGN POLICY PERSPECTIVES OF INDIA AND SRI LANKA AND THE TAMIL SEPARATIST MOVEMENT

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with explaining changing dynamics of Sri Lanka-India relations in the 1980s in the context of the spread of separatist ethnic insurgency in Sri Lanka. For an understanding of foreign policy changes towards each other during this period, this thesis focuses on how political cisis in Sri Lanka, arising out of Tamil ethnic insurgency, may have impacted on India's security perceptions and in turn on her relations towards Sri Lanka. Similarly in order to explain changing dynamics of India's foreign policy position towards Sri Lanka, this thesis examines whether political development in Tamil Nadu has influenced or not the Indian Cenral Government foreign policy thinking and strategies towards Sri Lanka. In examining India's activist foreign policy position towards Sri Lanka this thesis studies in detail how India intervened diplomatically and militarily in Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict throughout the 1980s. While explaining the relationship between changing foreign policy perspectives of India and Sri Lanka in the backdrop of Sri Lanka's Tamil separatist movement, this thesis will make policy recommendations relevant to foreign policy decision making towards India. This thesis critically examines the reasons why India intervened in the Sri Lankan conflict first, as a mediator and subsequently played the role of a party to the conflict by intervening directly and further discuss India's policy strategies adopted for bringing about a resolution to the political crisis in Sri Lanka. In examining the change of policy of India and Sir Lanka towards each other from time to time during this period, contribution for such policy change made by the change of leadership has been emphasised.