A 160-member contingent of the Border Security Force (BSF), including 25 women personnel, was ceremonially flagged off today for deployment under the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO). The send-off event, held at BSF headquarters on Lodhi Road, was presided over by Director General Daljit Singh Chawdhary.
Designated as the 18th BSF Contingent (IFPU-II), the team is led by Commandant Kailash Singh Mehta and will be stationed in Beni, a region in eastern Congo grappling with persistent armed conflict, militia violence, and mass displacement. Over seven million people have been uprooted due to ongoing clashes involving groups such as the M23 militia, and regional military operations involving Rwandan and Congolese forces.
Addressing the contingent, DG Chawdhary highlighted India’s enduring commitment to international peacekeeping. A 1990-batch IPS officer, Chawdhary assumed leadership of the BSF in August 2024. He lauded the inclusion of women personnel as part of India’s alignment with the UN’s goals for gender-inclusive peacekeeping, noting that diverse teams often foster stronger community relationships and more effective mission outcomes.
India has been a steadfast contributor to UN peacekeeping since 1950, with its first mission to Congo dating back to 1960. Over the decades, more than 250,000 Indian troops have served in UN missions globally. The country has also pioneered initiatives such as the deployment of the world’s first all-women Formed Police Unit to Liberia in 2007 and participated in notable missions during the Korean War and in post-conflict Cambodia.
As the latest BSF unit prepares to support stabilization efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they uphold a proud legacy of courage, discipline, and commitment to peace in some of the world’s most volatile regions.
