Emerging Sri Lanka

[Max The Boss]

After 25 years of strong arming neighbor Sri Lanka, 25 year old separatist war was 98 percent over now. It is a big reason for the Sri Lankan’s to be jubilant especially when they celebrated their Independence Day on Feb.4 in 2009, as the war appears to draws to an end, the focus is turning to Sri Lanka's economy. India finds itself jostling for influence as the separatist war nears an end, its power blunted by the Sri Lanka's fastest growing relations with China, Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Libya.

Strategic Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has always been a strategic place as far as the subcontinent goes and the subcontinent has both mythological as well as historical relations with Sri Lanka. But today it is strategic importance that matters and Sri Lanka is strategically poised since it is right in the middle of Indian ocean and the complete potential of maritime possibilities and probabilities have not yet been exploited by the world that is changing every second.

Sri Lanka provides major sea routes connecting Africa, Middle East, South Asia and East Asia with Europe and chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Malacca. The presence of all these important countries gives Sri Lanka geo-political importance keeping in view the bigger game for power in the Indian Ocean.

Strategic Indian Ocean

"Whoever controls the Indian Ocean dominates Asia. This ocean is the key to the seven seas in the twenty-first century, the destiny of the world will be decided in these waters," said U.S. Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan more than a century ago.

The Indian Ocean covering 2,850,000 sq miles is the third largest in the world with several important islands and about 50 countries around.
Diego Garcia where USA has a base.
China has a base in the Coco Island which is near Myanmar.
India is already there with its Navy.
It clearly shows the presence of world and some emerging powers in the Indian Ocean. Besides Indian Ocean is a critical waterway with heavy trafficking.

India’s Intervention and rise of LTTE Terrorists

USA has a base in Indian Ocean; India’s aim was to stop USA having an influence in Sri Lanka but the methodology and strategy used by India was wrong. In a nut shell it backed the wrong horse LTTE Terrorists!
Many powers centuries back had tried to keep Indian Ocean under their tab. India from the 1954 started showing interests in the Indian Ocean.
When USA started gaining firm friendship with Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
When USA announced to move aircraft carrier USS Enterprise to Bay of Bengal in support for Pakistan during 71 war.

It was after that India started thinking on formation of terrorist organization LTTE. Formed in 1976 LTTE (terrorist organization) began its armed conflict with the Sri Lankan government in 1983 and relies on terrorist tactics.
India signed an accord with Sri Lanka in July 1987 for deploying Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). Though after signing the accord India had sent its forces for peace keeping in Sri Lanka but unfortunately Indian soldiers end up sacrificing their lives for deceptive game of their government, not knowing that it was their own government that was sacrificing the innocent soldiers for political mileage. It was reported by media that even when Indian soldiers were fighting LTTE, India’s Tamil Nadu state was facilitating LTTE terrorists for reinforcement and regrouping.
In 1997 a report appearing in Indian Express said “Soldiers are the only innocents in politics. So it seems from the tale of a distraught father looking for his Army officer son, evacuated with a head wound. The father walked into a hospital room only to be told by the nurse that, ``these four injured are cadres of LTTE (terrorist organization), and your son is in the next room''.

India’s state government in Tamil Nadu was simultaneously treating the LTTE (terrorist organization) cadres injured by the IPKF; and the IPKF personnel injured by the LTTE (terrorist organization). Even while Indian soldiers were in the jungles of north and eastern Sri Lanka, India’s Tamil Nadu state was allowing the LTTE terrorist to rest, recoup and refit in India. IPKF casualties mounted because of India’s Tamil Nadu state government helped LTTE terrorists.

Sri Lanka Pakistan Relations

Pakistan has been a steady source of military equipment to Sri Lanka. Pakistan has cooperated with Sri Lanka to modernize and expand the Sri Lanka Defense Force. Pakistan's Defense exports to Sri Lanka have tripled.
Pakistan exports ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, Rocket launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Deep penetration bombs and rockets, mortar ammunition. Night vision devices, artillery armor mortars, security equipments, Tanks, machine guns and other military assistance to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka and Pakistan also cooperating in the area of military training and exercises. Sri Lanka also interested to purchase Pakistani JF-17 Thunder planes From Pakistan. Sri Lanka military officials & Pakistan military officials have regularly exchanged high-level visits resulting in a variety of agreements.
Sri Lanka’s Growing Relations with China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya
China has also been supplying arms and weapons to Sri Lanka. China exports Chinese Jian-7 fighters, JY 11-3D air surveillance radars, ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles, Rocket launchers and shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles. Deep penetration bombs and rockets, mortar ammunition. Night vision devices, artillery armor mortars, security equipment, Tanks, Navel Vessels, communicant equipments, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns¸ rocket propelled grenade launchers and other Military assistance to Sri Lanka.
China is also investing in Sri Lanka, China’s financial assistance to Sri Lanka increased to US$1 billion.
Iran has also agreed to provide assistance to Sri Lanka including training Sri Lanka military officers in Iran, besides providing low interest loan to enable it to purchase military related equipments from China and Pakistan. Iran will also invest U.S. $ 1.5 billion in energy related projects in Sri Lanka.
Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka have agreed to cooperate in areas of mutual interests in the field of oil supply, exploration and investments.

Libya’s financial assistance to Sri Lanka increased to US$500 million. Libya and Sri Lanka have agreed to cooperate in areas of mutual interests in the field of oil supply, exploration and investments.

USA and Indian Ocean

Keeping in view long term strategic interests in the Indian Ocean USA had already made its presence. Diego Garcia is the permanent USA Base.
In this scheme of things India seems to be at the receiving end although the recent warming up of its relations with USA might have decreased concerns about USA in Indian Ocean which India always considered a threat to her in the past. But given the history of USA relations with its friends especially in the region (Sri Lanka and Pakistan), USA doesn’t tolerate potential regional powers that challenge or tend to challenge her hegemony in the future and undercut critical US strategic interests in Indian Ocean.

 

[ANDUBYLL]

USA and Indian Ocean

Keeping in view long term strategic interests in the Indian Ocean USA had already made its presence. Diego Garcia is the permanent USA Base.
In this scheme of things India seems to be at the receiving end although the recent warming up of its relations with USA might have decreased concerns about USA in Indian Ocean which India always considered a threat to her in the past. But given the history of USA relations with its friends especially in the region (Sri Lanka and Pakistan), USA doesn’t tolerate potential regional powers that challenge or tend to challenge her hegemony in the future and undercut critical US strategic interests in Indian Ocean.

Pakistan , Iran, Libya are strategically small players in the Indian Ocean. Sri Lanka gave Pakistani jets refuelling enroute to East pakistan during 1971 war. That was a strategic blunder. During the euphoria of the Liberation war victory, these incidents were quickly forgotten, but had that provided a strategic advantage to the pakistanis , then believe me , India would have been all over Sri Lanka !

Today no one in India , save from Hindu nationalists in the North and extreme Tamil parties in the South support Tamil eelam or support guerilla warfare in SL. The rest of Indians are generally supportive of the Tamils as well as understanding the positions of the Sri Lankans.

Now in 2009, India and USA are strategic partners and Diego Garcia is not much of a concern. Remember US fighters refuelled in mainland India during Operation Desert Storm. More than anything, USA understands Indian hegemony in the Indian ocean. Chinese know that they are intruders and any moves to increase their presence will see counter moves in the South China sea. India have a very powerful blue water navy , and can definately defend the strateigc interests in South China seas and in Taiwan

 

[taiji]

China should keep supporting Sri Lanka's economy development, which China is quite good at in other developing countries. A stable and prosperous SL is in China's interest. Though war may be over soon, the bigger challenge is how to reconcile the society and lift the poor out of poverty. Given the size of SL and the importance of her geographic position, maybe SL can learn something from Qatar. I'm sure it takes less time for Sri Lankan to achieve thier goal.