Page 96 - SST Class 08

Sri Lanka gained its independence in 1948, both Prime
the countries have had diplomatic relations and
increasingly came to share regional security
interests. The Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka
formed organisation to fight for a separate state.
Among the organisation, the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Elam (LTTE) became the most powerful.
Thus there was conflict between the Sri Lanka
government and the LTTE. Many countries
including India tried to resolve the conflict
between them India even sent an Indian Peace
Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka in 1987 to
resolve the problem but the force did not succeed
and the troops were called back. Even then Shri
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the LTTE
militants in 1991. Indian government is still trying
to improve its relations with Sri Lanka.
India and Bangladesh
The emergence of Bangladesh in 1971 was an
event of major importance in the subcontinent. At
the time of independence of India, the province of
Bengal was divided
into two parts—East
Bengal and West
Bengal. East Bengal
became the part of
Pakistan while West
Bengal was included
in the territory of India.
In March 1971, East Bengal fought for its
liberation and emerged as an independent nation
came to be known as Bangladesh. India played an
important role in the creation of Bangladesh.
Indian troops were deployed to fight against the
Pakistani forces. India was the first country in the
world to recognize Bangladesh as a sovereign
state. India also gave economic support to
Bangladesh immediately after its independence.
Both countries signed a treaty of friendship and
peace for a period of 25 years in 1972. Both
countries resolved that their relations shall be
guided by the principles of democracy, socialism,
secularism, Non-alignment and opposition to
socialism and colonialism. They also agreed to
work for making Indian Ocean a nuclear free
zone.
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Minister Indira Gandhi supported
Bangladesh founding father Shaikh Mujibur
Rahman in 1972. She passionately supported
Bangladesh’s freedom struggle from Pakistan in
1971. But some areas of tension are responsible for
straining the relations between the two countries.
Important among them are (1) the Farakha Barrage
and the sharing of Ganga water (2) the issue of
demarcation and fencing of boundary and (3) Teen
Beegha corridor. Different efforts have been done
to solve these issues. In 1992, India agreed to hand
over Teen Beegha corridor to Bangladesh and
Bangladesh also agreed to take back the Chakma
refugees. In December 1996, a treaty was signed
between India and Bangladesh over the sharing of
Ganga water.
India and Bhutan
The kingdom of Bhutan, is popularly known as the
land of thunderbolt . It is a landlocked country in
the eastern Himalayas. Among all its neighbours
India has the closest and tension free relations
with Bhutan. India has followed a policy of
cooperation and friendship with Bhutan. After
India’s independence, both the nations signed the
India-Bhutan Treaty of friendship of 1949. Under
this treaty, India under took not to interfere with
internal matters of Bhutan and Bhutan under took
to seek advice of India
in regard to its foreign
relations. The treaty also
holds India responsible
for the defence of
Bhutan. In 1970, India
supported Bhutan’s
membership of UNO.
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India is the principal contributor in the economic
development of Bhutan. Bhutan’s five year plans
have been largely founded by India.
India and Myanmar
Like India, Myanmar (formerly called Burma) was
also under the British rule. India was a supporter
of Burmese independence in 1948. Indo-Burmese
relations have undergone many ups and downs.