Page "Sri Lankan Civil War" Paragraph 16

India became involved in the conflict in the 1980s for a number of reasons, including its leaders ' desire to project India as the regional power in the area and worries about India's own Tamils seeking independence.

The latter was particularly strong in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where ethnic kinship led to strong support for independence for Sri Lankan Tamils.

Throughout the conflict, the Indian central and state governments have supported both sides in different ways.

Beginning in August 1983, till May 1987, Indian government, through its intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing ( RAW ), provided arms, training and monetary support to 6 Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups including LTTE, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization ( TELO ), People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam ( PLOTE ), Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students ( EROS ) Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front ( EPRLF ) and Tamil Eelam Liberation Army ( TELA ).

LTTE's rise is widely attributed to the initial backing it received from RAW.

It is believed that by supporting different militant groups, the Indian government hoped to keep the Tamil independence movement divided and be able to exert overt control over it.