While a tenuous cease-fire agreement continues to hold the Sri Lankan security forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at bay, the question remains "How long until potentially explosive hostilities resume in the absence of peace talks? "Written from an Indian perspective, this work examines the roles being played by the Sri Lankan government, the LTTE, and the mainstream and fringe political parties and groups. Emphasizing the urgent need for a resumption of the peace talks, the author explores the reasons why peace efforts have failed so far, the consequences associated with a failure of their resumption, and what it would take to get the two adversaries together. The growing acceptance of federalism, the current state of human rights, and the less than ideal law-and-order situation is also discussed.