Sri Lanka needs to energetically demonstrate its capacity and will to reconstruction and resettlement of the war-ravaged economy of the Northern Province. More than that, Colombo must speedily put into effect all that President Rajapakse has promised in terms of devolution of powers. He has massive public support and is well set to seek a re-election to office. His place in history will be ensured by being able to bring lasting peace to his country through the political and constitutional measures that are obvious to him. It will also be necessary for him to look again at the geo-political equations he wishes to build for Sri Lanka in terms of relations with regional and major powers. What the future of Sri Lanka’s large and powerful military will be after peace has been won is a question that will be asked and will affect his country’s polity.

India, with a government that will be politically stable for its five-year term, will need to encourage and assist Colombo in attaining its peace dividend from the military victory so painfully gained. The challenge for the political leadership in Tamil Nadu will be no less great. They will be expected to temper their concern for Sri Lanka’s Tamils with far greater understanding of issues involved in state-building and nation-making. India and Sri Lanka will both have to traverse their future emotional and political terrains by placing their economic future at a higher level than the chauvinistic ground covered in the past.

The writer, a former director-general of military operations, is director of the Delhi Policy Group express@expressindia.com