Tamil Nadu Timeline

DiplomacyMGR era

Operation Poomalai: Indian airdrop over Jaffna

· Jaffna

Indian Air Force transport planes dropped relief supplies over the besieged city of Jaffna, halting a Sri Lankan army offensive against the Tamil militants.

In 1987 the Sri Lankan Army laid siege to Jaffna as part of the Vadamarachchi Operation against the LTTE. Concern over the plight of Tamils, which had wide support in Tamil Nadu, led India to send a convoy of relief boats, which the Sri Lanka Navy turned back. On the evening of 4 June 1987 five An-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force, escorted by Mirage 2000 fighters, airdropped supplies over Jaffna in an operation codenamed Poomalai. The operation halted the Sri Lankan offensive and was followed weeks later by the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.

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  3. 1985

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  4. 1987

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      Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed

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  5. 1990

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      Indian Peace Keeping Force withdraws from Sri Lanka

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