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| Sri Lanka | |
| India offers to help Sri Lanka redesign air-defence capabilities | |
| 2005-06-04 | |
New Delhi told visiting Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga it is willing to consider all proposals from Colombo, including training Sri Lankan personnel or guidance and advice in designing air defences, the Indian Express daily reported. Colombo will send a team of senior defence officials to India to discuss the technical details, it said. The offer was made during talks in New Delhi late Thursday between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Kumaratunga, who is on a three day-visit to India. Kumaratunga's government charges that the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have built an airstrip in the north and possess at least two light aircraft. European truce monitors say they have seen the airstrip from the air but have been denied access by the rebels to investigate allegations they have aircraft. "Those two aircraft, if they have any, represent a very serious threat," Monitoring Mission chief Hagrup Haukland said last week, adding that the issue could re-ignite the war between the Tigers and government troops. India, which once armed and trained the Tigers, warned last month that they were acquiring aircraft. "We are concerned about the LTTE having built an airstrip and having two aeroplanes, and there's news about more coming," India's Foreign Minister Natwar Singh said. The Indian Express, quoting unnamed sources, said India would also help provide Sri Lanka, which has focused more on maritime than air security, with radars to improve its air-space coverage. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #5 No, I don't think it's scare mongering. The Czech aircraft can be rigged for close air support. I doubt that Sri Lankan patrol vessels have much in the way of anti-air defense. That's one way to open holes in the blockade. The airstrip could also be used for resupply and/or delivery of other aircraft. A cynical part of me sees a rather... convenient opportunity for India to offer assistance to an island it considers part of its sphere of influence. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-06-04 23:43 |
| #4 Jeez. Here's the answer. Sorry. I just like it. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-04 21:10 |
| #3 So these reports over the aircraft is scare mongering? Still, in the post 9/11 world, suicide terrorists+aircaft is a big no. A single pass by an Indian Flanker with its cannon firing should neutralize these aircraft for good. |
| Posted by: john 2005-06-04 17:44 |
| #2 Don't think the airstrip is a concern because of two Tamil aircraft. Sri Lanka probably more concerned it'd be used for airborne logistics. Waters off northern Sri Lanka are pretty much blockaded now. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2005-06-04 12:58 |
| #1 Since India considers the LTTE a terrorist organization, how about the IAF just bombing the rebel airstrip and aircraft ? Why the kid glove treatment for the Tigers? |
| Posted by: john 2005-06-04 09:11 |