India-Sri Lanka Relations Ethnic and Cultural Relations in the Context of SAARC

India and Sri Lanka share common values and traditions as well as a common commitment to democratic governance. India -Sri Lanka relations are based on a deep and abiding friendship on shared historical experience and common civilization. Both countries have taken a similar trajectory in international relations, having emerged from the colonial oppression. Since then, the two independent nations of India and Sri Lanka have proceeded to renew and reinvigorate age old cultural, commercial and strategic links for the mutual benefit of the two nations and their peoples. India is concerned at the ongoing hostilities in Sri Lanka which has taken its toll on civilian casualties and resulted in an exodus of refugees. India is of the view that the only way out is a negotiated, political settlement which meets the legitimate aspirations of all communities while respecting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. There was progress in the negotiations between India and Sri Lanka on a CEPA, which would build on the success of the FTA. The specific geo-strategic location of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean has been the most important factor in their relations. The Sri Lankan ethnic conflict had caused tensions and pressure on India-Sri Lanka relationship. India involvement in Sri Lanka’s ethnic provides ample testimony to the wrench of closeness. The history of ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka is the history of emergence of consciousness among the majority community, the Sinhala, which defined the Sri Lanka society as Sinhala-Buddhist, thus denying its multi-ethnic character. The growth of this consciousness impinged on the minorities in Sri Lanka to the extent that internal resolution of the problems becomes impossible. The Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement also has many implications for the security of South Asian region. It is a known fact that all of India’s neighbors’ have problems which involve India in some way. The Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement can be read by all these countries as a signal that their internal and foreign policies must be so adjusted as to not to affect significantly India’s security concerns. In this paper an attempt has been made to discuss the historical background of India-Sri Lanka relationship and focuses on cultural and ethnic Indo-Sri Lanka relationship. It argues that the intervention and the role of the SAARC, to resolving ethnic identity conflicts and explains the significant factors that have helped SAARC in addressing and dealing with ethnic conflict.