Domestic roots of foreign policy and conflict resolution in South Asia

Question and importance. Why did India intervene in Sri Lanka in the eighties? Why not before or after? These questions are important for Indo-Lanka relations, regional stability and our understanding of linkage politics. Studies have scarcely acknowledged the substantial role of domestic factors in India's actions towards Sri Lanka. Geo-political considerations are considered the most salient of the motivating factors. Is this a fair assessment? This study examines the issue closely.; Theory. Of the two principals, India and Sri Lanka, only the latter was directly involved with the issue; India had an indirect interest and got involved to preempt Tamil Nadu's alienation. India mediated on behalf of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Thus India contended at three levels. So did Sri Lanka. How does one accommodate this complex situation theoretically? Putnam's two-level theory was improvised into a tripod representing the three levels with the win sets at each level influencing the other two. The study looks into ten years---1981--90; breaking the periods into three, the study examines how India's traditional position of non-involvement in Sri Lanka comes to be altered by Tamil Nadu and why. From primary material and interviews, the study traces backwards the causes leading to critical moments of India's decision to intervene.; Findings. The decline in the Congress's political strength eroded its monopoly over foreign policy and the resultant void was filled in Tamil Nadu by the Dravidian parties. The study finds that there were at least two occasions, one in July 1983 in the aftermath of the riots and the other in spring 1987, the Center acted lest its inaction alienate Tamil Nadu. This influence was however, limited when it came to influencing the Center's negotiations with Sri Lanka or making it to reconsider withdrawing the IPKF amongst others. The study finds that with the second level i.e. Tamil Nadu being dormant the Center's policy has reverted to treating Sri Lanka's ethnic issue as "internal."...