Deepinder Singh, who served as the overall commander of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka, has passed away at the age of 96.
Following the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987, Deepinder Singh was appointed to lead the Indian peacekeeping mission deployed to Sri Lanka with the objective of disarming Tamil militant groups, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
The mission later escalated into direct conflict with the LTTE, resulting in heavy casualties among Indian forces. More than 1,100 Indian soldiers were killed and over 3,000 injured during the operations.
The IPKF was eventually withdrawn from Sri Lanka under the administration of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. The civil conflict in Sri Lanka continued for nearly two more decades until the LTTE was militarily defeated in May 2009.
Deepinder Singh later documented his experiences in the book Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka (1987-1989), in which he reflected on the operational challenges faced by Indian troops and shortcomings in planning during the mission.
His death marks the passing of a key military figure associated with one of the most significant chapters in Indo-Sri Lankan relations.
