UN Peacekeeping: India's Contributions

India's contributions to UN peacekeeping operations (UNPKOs) have been underscored by the experience and professionalism of India's armed forces. Speaking at the September 2015 Leaders' Summit in New York on UN Peacekeeping, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had said:"The foundations of the United Nations were laid by the brave soldiers on the battlefields of the Second World War. By 1945, they included 2.5 million men of the Indian Army, the largest volunteer force in history."

India today is the largest contributor of troops to UNPKOs. More than 200,000 Indian troops have served in 49 of the 71 UNPKOs deployed so far.

As an "original" founder-member of the United Nations, India has not hesitated to respond to the calls of the UN to contribute troops for maintaining international peace and security. In 1950, soon after India's independence, the 60 Parachute Field Ambulance of the Indian Army was sent to provide medical cover to U.S./R.O.K. and UN forces engaged in the Korean War. The unit served in Korea for a total of three and a half years (November 1950- May 1954), the longest single tenure by any military unit under the UN flag.

From 15 November 1956 to 19 May 1967, eleven infantry battalions from India served by rotation in the UN Emergency Force (UNEF 1) to ensure the withdrawal of France, U.K. and Israel from Egyptian territory and to sustain the peace between Israel and her Arab neighbours. 27 Indian UN peacekeepers lost their lives in this operation.

In 1960, the Congo requested for deployment of UN peacekeepers to counter secession and re-integrate the country after Belgian rule.Between 14 July 1960 and 30 June 1964, two Indian brigades participated in ONUC UNPKO. The rules of engagement were modified to cater for use of...