PM pays tributes at IPKF memorial in Sri Lanka

In a significant step in India-Sri Lanka ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid respects at the ‘Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial’ in Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, near Colombo.

Modi’s visit also sets the tone for the Indian Ministry of Defence to have an official commemoration/recognition, for Indian Soldiers who were part of the Operation Pawan, under which the IPKF was deployed. As many as 1,172 Indian soldiers were killed in action and more than 3,500 were gravely wounded.

In its statement on the PM’s visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “The IPKF Memorial commemorates the soldiers of the Indian Peace Keeping Force, who made the supreme sacrifice in defending the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.”

In the past three decades, Operation Pawan veterans have called upon the government to recognise the importance of their mission and supreme sacrifice made by the soldiers. They have also sought an annual commemorative event for them.

As part of Operation Pawan, which was launched at the request of the Sri Lankan government, Indian soldiers were deployed to the island nation during a 32-month campaign from July 1987 to March 1990. The operation was aimed at upholding the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.

So far, there is no official commemoration for ‘Op Pawan’, like the ones for 1971 war or the Kargil Vijay Diwas. For the past five years, a group of veterans and their families have been laying a wreath, at the National War Memorial to commemorate the mission.

In the last week of March, veterans had issued a statement, saying that despite numerous appeals, there remained a reluctance within the Service Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence to formally recognise the valiant contributions of Operation Pawan veterans.

Veterans have lamented that although Sri Lanka has honoured these soldiers by erecting a prominent war memorial in Colombo; India — on whose behalf they made the ultimate sacrifice — has failed to extend similar public tribute.

The IPKF’s bravery was recognised with 1 Param Vir Chakra, 6 Maha Vir Chakras, 98 Vir Chakras and other gallantry awards.