India`s help to Sri lanka only self-defensive, says Minister

Chennai, Aug 24 (PTI) India Monday said whatever
assistance India had provided to Sri Lankan army in its war
against LTTE "must have been purely self-defensive in nature".

India was "very clear on the policy of aiding Sri Lanka on
self-defence and (it was) particular that normalcy returned"
in previously LTTE-held areas, India's Minister of State for
Defence M M Pallam Raju told reporters here reacting to claims
in a book that India had a "hidden hand" in Colombo's victory
over the militant outfit.

Asked about the book by television journalist claiming
that India offered M17 choppers to Sri Lankan army, Raju said
"it must have been purely in self-defence and no more". He did
not elaborate.

India wanted to help Sri Lanka in resettlement of the
(Tamils) population as "quickly as possible", he added. PTI