United Nations, May 30, 2025: India stands out as a vital contributor and supporter of UN peacekeeping efforts, according to Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations. His remarks came during a press briefing held on the occasion of International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
Lacroix, who recently visited New Delhi to participate in the inaugural Conference for Women Peacekeepers organized by India, emphasized India's multifaceted role. "India is not only a significant troop and police contributor but also actively supports initiatives like accountability for crimes against peacekeepers," he stated.
The conference, themed "Women in Peacekeeping: A Global South Perspective," was jointly hosted by India's Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and the Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping. It brought together female peacekeepers from 35 troop-contributing countries across the Global South to address evolving peacekeeping challenges and highlight women's essential roles in peace and security.
Lacroix underscored two crucial aspects concerning women in peacekeeping: increasing women's participation enhances peacekeeping effectiveness and empowers women politically, integrating them into peacebuilding processes. He noted, "This is not ideological but a matter of practicality and realism to fully include women in peace operations."
Accompanied by Acting UN Military Adviser Major General Cheryl Pearce, Lacroix acknowledged progress in female representation within UN peacekeeping forces but said challenges remain, particularly regarding female officers in senior leadership roles. He encouraged more senior female generals to apply for command positions.
Currently, India ranks as the fourth-largest uniformed contributor to UN peacekeeping missions, deploying over 5,300 military and police personnel to operations in regions such as Abyei, the Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
India has pioneered women’s participation in peacekeeping, deploying the first all-women Formed Police Unit to Liberia in 2007 and an all-women platoon to the UN Mission in Abyei in 2023—the largest female peacekeeper deployment in recent years.
During its 2022 presidency of the UN Security Council, India launched the 'Group of Friends' initiative to advance accountability for crimes against peacekeepers and introduced a database to track such incidents and monitor justice efforts.
These efforts collectively signify India's ongoing commitment to strengthening global peacekeeping frameworks and promoting gender inclusion within UN missions.
