LTTE regrouping in Tamil Nadu

Eelam War IV (August 2006 to May 2009) which resulted in the rout of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) will go down in history not only for this, but for the many political and military innovations it saw.

One of the distinguishing features of Eelam War IV was the political determination shown by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to prosecute the war without bowing to powerful international lobbies which were pressing for a ceasefire and resumption of talks with the LTTE.

An important concomitant of the single minded devotion to fighting to the finish was that the three services were given all the men and material they wanted.

The army’s strength was quickly increased by 100,000. The navy was allowed to manufacture 150 fast inshore patrol vessels equipped with 14 mm and 23 mm guns. And for the first time, the Air Force was deployed on a regular basis...