While the Modi government is keen on security cooperation , Indian ocean and defence ties , the prominent issue during the talks was the reconciliation of the minority Tamils in Sri Lnaka which has an echo in Tamil Nadu. This continues to infuence the Sri Lanka policy not only owing to Tamil Nadu politcs but also in the interest of national security. Although Prime Minister Modi has come with his own majority, he cannot ignore the sentiments of Tamil Nadu where his party is trying to find a foot hold. Chief Minister Jayalalaihta is his good friend. Also Modi has been talking of “ neighbors first’ and cooperative federalism and Team India.

Ranil has assured Modi during the talks about the plans for reconciliation and rehabilitation of the Tamil minority. This is a complex subject although the Wicremesinghe govenrment has made efforts to break the impasse in resuming the dialogue proces with the Tamils who had supported the Wicremesinghe coaliton in the recent Parliament elections as well as the January presidential elections. Wickremesinghe is confident that the political situation in Sri Lanka is favorable for forging an enduring political solution to the Tamil question. He said after the talks “ we are looking at how power sharing takes place within the constitution. ” But it may be difficult for his government to grant land and police powers as envisaged in the 13 A of the constitution to the provincial councils. The Tamil National Alliance has demanded that it should be a federal solution. There have been a lot of administrative barriers, which have to be removed. The real issue in the North and the East now is re-settlement of people who got evicted from their land — in Jaffna and in the East. These are complex problems, which the new government is grappling with.

The second issue discussed was what happens after the UNHRC report on the Eelam war genocide. The report damns the Rajapakse government in which the present president Sri sena was a minister. Ranil is reported to have told after the talks “ we were relaxed about the findings. ” The question here is whether the enquiry should be domestic as suggested by the US or international war crimes triobunal as demanded by the TNA and the Tamil Nadu parties like the DMK. India has always supported domestic inquiries in preference to international ones.

Interestingly, the visit has also demonstrated a shift in foreign policy focus from a conventional peace and cultural cooperation towards economic diplomacy as the two sides concentrated on expanding the trade and economic ties. However, the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement( CEPA) was not discussed during the visit. During his Colombo visit in March, , Prime Minister Modi had revived the idea of CEPA between India and Sri Lanka which had almost came through in 2008. For the Wickremesinghe government, it is probably a no-go area in Sri Lankan politics. So it is possible to work out a similar arrangment and call it by a different name.

The third complex subject which came up during the talks was the fishermen issue which continues to haunt both the countries. Despite several efforts, they have not been able to find a solution. As epxected, Wickremesinghe pushed the Sri Lnakan concerns especially of Tamil fishermen in the northern Sri Lanka, and about the relentless poaching by the Tamil Nadu fishermen in Sri Lankan waters. The Norhtern Sri Lankan Tamils are perplexed why Tamil Nadu politicians who support them otherwise, do not care about the Sri Lankan fishermen .The Sri Lankan fishermen were barred from fishing in the northern waters by the security forces during the conflict. Now they are aghast to find that their brethern across the Palk straits are plundeirng the marine life on the Sri Lankan side. Most of the trawlers are owned by powerful Tamil Nadu politicians. Although Wickremesinghe had warned Indian fishermen , his government has not been harsh in its treatment of them. He even got 16 fishermem released just before his visit to New Delhi. After the talks Modi said the fishermen associations on both sides should continue their talks for its resolution pointing out that the issue should be looked at with humanitarian concerns.

Wickremesinghe’s three day visit has further cemented the Indo – Sri Lankan ties which had taken off after Modi’s visit to the island nation in March this seen. Wickremesinghe has to tread carefully at home as it also depends on how he performs in the coming year. His approach at home is to try and include everyone in a big tent. The danger is that he may be spending too much time in keeping the tent in tact with the result he may not be able to get much things done. In any case New Delhi is keen to support the present regime which is a good sign for him.(IPA Service)