New York, November 6, 2026: India has called for stronger protection, greater accountability and improved resources for United Nations peacekeeping missions, highlighting its historic contribution of more than 300,000 troops across 50 missions and the supreme sacrifice made by 184 Indian peacekeepers while serving under the UN flag.
Addressing the annual debate on the comprehensive review of United Nations peacekeeping operations in New York, Colonel Tarunendra Pratap Singh, Military Advisor at India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to international peace and security.
Paying tribute to fallen peacekeepers, Colonel Singh acknowledged the sacrifices made by personnel serving in conflict-affected regions across the world. He emphasised that India’s approach to peacekeeping has been shaped by more than seven decades of operational experience, with Indian military personnel playing a crucial role in maintaining international peace and stability.
India remains the largest cumulative contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping operations, having deployed more than 300,000 personnel across 50 missions. However, these contributions have come at a considerable human cost, with 184 Indian peacekeepers losing their lives while performing their duties.
Colonel Singh stressed that United Nations peacekeeping remains an irreplaceable instrument for maintaining international peace because of the principles it represents, including impartiality, consent of the parties involved and the use of force only in self-defence or defence of the mission’s mandate.
He emphasised that peacekeeping missions can achieve meaningful results only when supported by a broader political process, clearly defined political objectives and adequate operational resources. Deploying peacekeepers without sufficient capabilities or a realistic political strategy, he indicated, risks undermining mission effectiveness.
India also called for institutionalised consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries before the United Nations Security Council adopts or reviews peacekeeping mandates. Such consultations would ensure that countries providing personnel have a meaningful role in decisions affecting their deployment, safety and operational responsibilities.
Highlighting the increasingly complex security environment faced by UN personnel, Colonel Singh warned that peacekeepers now confront asymmetric and technologically enabled threats. He reiterated India’s position that individuals and groups responsible for attacking peacekeepers must be held accountable.
In this context, he referred to India’s leadership in securing the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2589 in August 2021, which focuses on accountability for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers.
India further advocated rationalisation of peacekeeping missions, arguing that operations lacking a clear operational rationale consume valuable resources and risk weakening the credibility of the United Nations. Colonel Singh emphasised the importance of ensuring that every mission has clearly defined objectives and the capabilities necessary to achieve them.
The Indian representative also called for faster integration of advanced technology and renewable energy solutions into peacekeeping operations. Such improvements could enhance operational efficiency, strengthen situational awareness and reduce logistical challenges in difficult deployment environments.
Recognising the contribution of women in international peacekeeping, Colonel Singh highlighted that India has deployed women peacekeepers since 1960. India’s commitment to women’s participation was further demonstrated through the deployment of the first all-female Formed Police Unit to Liberia in 2007, a milestone in UN peacekeeping history.
India also reaffirmed that strengthening UN peacekeeping would remain a priority in its candidature for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2028–2029 term.
Concluding his address, Colonel Singh reiterated India’s commitment to a United Nations peacekeeping architecture that is better resourced, better protected and more representative of the international community.
The statement underscored India’s continued leadership in global peacekeeping and its determination to ensure that personnel serving under the United Nations flag receive the protection, resources and institutional support necessary to fulfil their missions.
