Neither Eelam nor the remainder of the Sri Lanka would be left in peace. Defence expenditure would rise and ruin the economy of the whole island, which has hitherto enjoyed the best position in terms of Human Development Index. The island records 87 per cent literacy and has high degree of empowerment of women. India must resist the bifurcation of the island, but also avoid getting involved militarily. Emergence of Eelam would sure have repercussions in the neighbouring southern state of Tamil Nadu.
Ethnic bonds act as the natural factors in redrawing national maps.
Any further attempt to create new boundaries in the subcontinent will only result in further militarisation of the region. Defence expenditure would eat into development funds and impoverish the already poor countries. India should use its good offices in bringing the two sides in Sri Lanka to talks and keep the military solution totally off the agenda. Though it is less likely to succeed in persuading the LTTE, going by its brutish past, any other alternative would be still more costly. Pakistan too would be burning its hands and creating new ethnic animosities in the largely peaceful region by offering its military help to Sri Lanka.