Indian Peace Keeping Force Operation Pawan

Never before in the annals of Military history of the world, the Armed Forces were asked to perform such a-complex and arduous task as was entrusted to the IPKF in Sri Lanka as a sequel to the lndo-Sri Lanka Accord of 29 July 1987. The 1PKF embarked on an extremely delicate mission to help implement the Accord and to ensure the Island's territorial integrity. The mission soon turned into a highly complex and war-like campaign as the LTTE launched a counter-offensive against the Sri Lankan Government and the IPKF.

Sustained intensive operations by the IPKF shattered the resistance of the LTTE and contained their violent activities. Alongside military operations against the terrorists, the IPKF launched reconstruction programmes to rehabilitate the Tamil areas where large scale destruction had taken place due to military operations carried out by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces up to July 1987, and subsequently by the destructive acts of the LTTE. Basic civic, medical and other infra-structural services were restored to normalcy.

Major achievements of the IPKF were the conduct of provincial elections, the presidential elections and the parliamentary elections in the North-Eastern Province despite opposition from the militants and other agencies. Observer groups from various countries, as well as the media and press covered these elections and informed the world about their free and fair conduct.

The IPKF by their devoted performance and high professionalism, had, in a short span of time between October 1987 to March 1990, transformed the prevailing situation in the Northeast province of Sri Lanka. The law and order situation has seen a sea change and the democratic processes have been re-established.

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