Question:

Explain the reasons for ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka and its impact on India.

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Structure Sri Lanka Conflict Answer: - Causes: Majoritarianism, Sinhala language act (1956), marginalization of Tamils $\rightarrow$ LTTE demand for Eelam. - Impact on India: Refugee burden in Tamil Nadu, IPKF intervention (1987), Rajiv Gandhi assassination (1991).
Updated On: Aug 11, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Concept: Sri Lanka's post-independence history has been dominated by a severe ethnic conflict between the majority Sinhala community and the minority Tamil population, which had profound political and strategic security repercussions for India.

Step 1: Reasons for Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka.
1. Majoritarian Policies: After independence in 1948, governments dominated by the Sinhala majority enacted policies favoring Sinhalas in university admissions, government jobs, and national language status (Sinhala Only Act of 1956). 2. Denial of Rights and Autonomy: The neglect of Tamil language, culture, and political representation led to demands for regional autonomy, which later turned into armed militancy. 3. Rise of Militancy: Armed groups like the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) demanded an independent state ('Tamil Eelam') in northern and eastern Sri Lanka, leading to a long civil war.

Step 2: Impact on India.
1. Refugee Crisis: The civil war forced lakhs of Sri Lankan Tamils to flee to Tamil Nadu as refugees, creating economic, social, and logistical strain on India. 2. Domestic Political Pressure: The Tamil population in India felt strong emotional and political solidarity with Sri Lankan Tamils, pressuring the Central Government of India to intervene. 3. Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Deployment (1987): India signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987 and sent the IPKF to stabilize Sri Lanka, but got entangled in military conflict with the LTTE, leading to significant military casualties. 4. Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi (1991): The conflict directly impacted Indian security when former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by an LTTE suicide bomber in 1991.
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