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India oppose Sri Lanka's intention of buying arms from China and Pakistan

New Delhi, Fri, 01 Jun 2007 Sadiq Ali

While refusing to supply any 'offensive' arms, India has urged Sri Lanka not to buy weapons from China and Pakistan to fight Tamil rebels.

National security advisor M.K.Narayanan told media in Chennai, on Thursday, that Colombo should approach New Delhi for acquiring weapons to fight Tamil tigers. "We are the big power in the region. It is very clear," he told reporters on Thursday evening.

"Whatever their requirements, they (Sri Lanka) should come to us. We will give what is necessary."

Emphasis on 'offensive' and 'necessary' might not bear the results New Delhi wants.

Keeping the Tamil sensitivities in mind, mainly in the state of Tamil Nadu which houses lakhs of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, Narayanan insisted that India would not provide any 'offensive' weaponry to Sri Lanka, where fighting has escalated between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

National secretary made the revelation after meeting the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.

Safeguarding Tamil interests and status of 'big power' in the region might not be easy for New Delhi as Sri Lankan has made clear if New Delhi won't provide the required weaponry they will approach China and Pakistan. The move will largely affect New Delhi's strategic influence in the island nation.

Till now, both China and Pakistan are key suppliers of small arms to Sri Lankan security forces. Islamabad supplied multi-barrel rocket launchers in 2000 when Tiger rebels were on the verge of capturing the northern Jaffna peninsula. India at the time offered help to evacuate 40,000 troops in Jaffna.

Sri Lanka intends to secure a 'better' radar from China because of the 'faulty' one supplied by India. Knowledgeable officials within the country there blame Indian supplied radar for their inability to track down low-flying Tamil Tiger aircraft.

Sri Lankan media quoted officials saying, "We weren't able to track down low-flying Tamil Tiger aircraft because of faulty radar supplied by India and now we are in a process of securing a better one from China."

Due to serious lobbying of China and Pakistan, an increase in attacks on Indian fishermen across the narrow Palk Straits in recent weeks has strained relations between historic allies. A dozen Indian fishermen were abducted in late March by the LTTE and five reportedly killed and Tamil Nadu administration also blame Sri Lankan security forces for unprovoked firing on Indian fishermen.

While keeping in view the traditional relations between ethnic Tamils in both countries, New Delhi might have to take some serious steps to safeguard its position within the region or India will loose another strategic partner as was the case in Nepal.


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Comments:

Nouman

November 18, 2008 at 12:00 AM

huh sirlanka should contact with indian to get weapons realy??but why??they dont know indians??they know very well indians support tamils in past so what indians expect from srilanks??get a life guys


 

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