Outspoken Congress leader Shashi Tharoor recently suggested that India could consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if and when peace descends on its border with Russia following maverick US President Donald Trump coaxing both sides to end their horrible three-year old war.
Speaking at a Raisina Dialogue panel discussion on a session titled ‘Waging Peace: Looking Back to Look Ahead’, Tharoor created a mild flutter by admitting he was wrong in carping at the Modi government in 2022 for abstaining from a US-sponsored resolution that condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Three years down the line, India's strategy worked. “I guess I have egg on my face now!” he said, adding: “Only India has a prime minister who can hug the presidents of Russia and Ukraine two weeks apart—few other countries can!” It made tongues wag.
Tharoor's suggestion came in the context of Russia ruling out European peacekeepers from NATO countries. Russia had pushed back after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron’s efforts for a peacekeeping plan drew support from over 30 European nations.
“Look beyond Europe for your peacekeeping, that is where India could come in,” Tharoor said during the session. If there is a peace deal, there would be some willingness on the Indian side to consider sending peacekeepers, he opined.
Responding to Tharoor's suggestion, a senior government official said, the process can start only if the UN makes the proposal to India. If it does, it would initiate internal deliberations involving multiple stakeholders. “This cannot happen so soon as deployment of additional troops abroad implies reduction of soldiers from formations elsewhere in India,” the officer said.
Deployments of peacekeepers are made after memorandums of understanding (MoU) are signed between the UN and India. In India, the ministries of external affairs and defence play a crucial role in taking the matter forward once the MoU is signed.
Modern peacekeeping
UN peacekeeping is a key mechanism to maintain global peace and security. It operates alongside other UN efforts, including conflict prevention, peacemaking, peace enforcement, and peacebuilding. UN peacekeeping missions are deployed to support ceasefires and peace agreements. However, modern peacekeeping has evolved into a multidimensional effort that goes beyond military presence. It involves facilitating political processes, protecting civilians, disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration (DDR), election support apart from promoting justice, accountability and governance reforms in the trouble-torn nations they are deployed.
UN peacekeeping began in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in West Asia to monitor ceasefires. Initially, peacekeeping missions were unarmed and focused on observation and mediation. The end of the Cold War in the 1990s saw an expansion in both the number and scope of peacekeeping operations. The UN began deploying multidimensional missions that combined military, political, and humanitarian efforts, addressing civil conflicts, supporting governance, and protecting human rights.
India has a long history of serving in UN peacekeeping, dating back to its participation in the UN operation in Korea in 1953. “At the heart of our foreign policy lies a commitment to peacekeeping—rooted in dialogue, diplomacy, and cooperation. Guided by the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the belief that the world is one family, India will continue to contribute meaningfully to the cause of UN peacekeeping,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently said.
Since the 1950s, India has sent over 2,90,000 peacekeepers to more than 50 missions worldwide, making it the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts. At present, over 5,200 Indian troops serve in nine of the 11 active missions, often in dangerous and hostile regions. Nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers lost their lives while on duty.
In Congo, Indian personnel provide infantry support, medical aid, and aviation assistance, with notable figures like Major Radhika Sen earning laurels for her impactful community engagement. In Lebanon, Indian peacekeepers operate as infantry units and medical teams, crucial in maintaining regional stability.
In South Sudan, Indian troops engage in engineering, humanitarian assistance, and medical services, significantly contributing to rebuilding infrastructure and providing essential services.
India also maintains a presence in the Golan Heights, ensuring ceasefire compliance between Israel and Syria through logistics and observer roles. Indian peacekeepers are also serving in Western Sahara, the Middle East, Cyprus and the Central African Republic. Beyond field deployments, Indian officers hold strategic roles at the United Nations Department of Peace Operations headquarters in New York.
In 2007, India deployed the first-ever all-female Formed Police Unit (FPU) to Liberia, a move that not only enhanced local security but also empowered Liberian women to participate more actively in their nation's security sectors. This pioneering initiative increased women's participation in security sectors over the years.
India's current deployment includes 54 women officers, 18 women from the Military Nursing Service, and 59 women of other ranks. They serve across six critical missions, including those in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Lebanon, Golan Heights, Western Sahara, and Abyei that has special administrative status. Abyei is on the border between the restive South Sudan and Sudan. Major Radhika Sen was named the “Military Gender Advocate of the Year 2023” by the UN Headquarters, recognising the significant contributions of Indian women to UN peacekeeping efforts.
India's Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK), established by the Indian Army in New Delhi, serves as the focal point for UN peacekeeping training. Annually, it trains over 12,000 troops.