The Dynamics among the countries of South Asia has changed dramatically with Sri Lanka´s open and unabashed call for New Delhi´s help for military and, failing that, humanitarian assistance for a possible evacuation of its troops from the Jaffna Peninsula.
The relations between the members of SAARC have long belaboured the fiction of one-country-one-vote. When it comes to sheer geopolitical weight, it is the economic power, population size, geographical spread and centrality, as well as military might of India, that overwhelms. Unlike the , European Community or ASEAN, the SAARC region is dominated by one power like no other, to the extent that even satellite imagery of South Asia essentially defines the coastline of India.
This overwhelming India-centricism of South Asia becomes obvious when a crisis as overwhelming as Sri Lanka´s current one overtakes. Colombo, one of the more ´self-confident´ capitals of SAARC, has openly called for military support from New Delhi, essentially pleading it to act as regional policeman. While some aspects of the the India-Pakistan relationship have their own dynamic, this Sri Lankan invitation is bound to lead to a readjustment of expectations and obligations all over South Asia. The Sri Lankan example demonstrates that when push comes to shove and a crisis as critical as national bifurcation looms, governments of the region (barring Pakistan´s) will have no compunction in asking for Indian involvement military intervention if necessary. Realpolitik and governmental survival will override all other considerations, including those of national, cultural and historical exclusivity. ´Sovereignty´, in a sense, to be saved by inviting its wresting.
There has not been an instance quite like this when, late in history, a South Asian state has gone all-out seeking military help from neighbour India. Situations have come close to it, though. In Nepal, India brokered the deal whereby the Nepali Congress took over from the feudal Ranas in 1950. The Indian armed forces came powerfully to the aid of the Mukti Bahini in 1971 and helped deliver Bangladesh as an independent country. Also in 1971, India and Pakistan both sent arms (and India, pilots) to help the Sri Lankan army put down a Marxist uprising by Sinhala youth. 1988 was when Indian commandos rescued President Maumoon Gayoom from the clutches of a brief uprising. Most significantly, in 1988-89, the Indian Peacekeeping Force was despatched by Rajiv Gandhi to Jaffna, with a brief to help the Sri Lankan Tamils but ending up instead fighting the LTTE until the ignominious retreat of 1990.