India Marks 75 Years of UN Peacekeeping with USI Symposium Honouring Legacy, Leadership, and Sacrifices

New Delhi, 29 May 2025 — On the occasion of the International Day of United Nations (UN) Peacekeepers, the United Service Institution of India (USI) hosted a high-level symposium commemorating India’s 75-year journey in UN peacekeeping operations. The event brought together military veterans, diplomats, and thought leaders to reflect on India’s global role, honour fallen heroes, and chart the path ahead.

The symposium opened with welcome remarks by Maj Gen PK Goswami (Retd), Director, Centre for UN Studies, USI, who underlined India’s enduring legacy in UN peacekeeping—from Korea to Abyei (1950-2025)—highlighting the professionalism, neutrality, and global trust Indian peacekeepers command. This was followed by Maj Gen BK Sharma (Retd), Director General, USI, who echoed the sentiment and spotlighted USI’s academic engagement in peace operations, while reaffirming India’s steadfast role as a pillar of UN peacekeeping over the decades.

Calling for Equitable Burden-Sharing and Strategic Reform

In his keynote address, Lt. Gen. Satish Nambiar (Retd)—India’s former Force Commander and Head of Mission of the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the former Yugoslavia—provided a sobering appraisal of the geopolitical inequities embedded in the current UN peacekeeping structure. Drawing on his experience during one of the most complex UN operations in the post-Cold War era, Lt. Gen. Nambiar urged for a more equitable burden-sharing framework, calling out the disproportionate expectation on Global South countries to contribute troops, while the Global North predominantly funds missions without sharing frontline risks.

He stressed that the future of peacekeeping must reflect the multipolar realities of the 21st century, both in leadership representation and decision-making authority. Gen. Nambiar called for enhanced participation from developed countries, not only in terms of logistics and funding but through the deployment of personnel, which he described as a moral imperative if peacekeeping is to retain global legitimacy.

Reflecting on the changing nature of conflict—from interstate wars to intra-state, ethnic, and ideological violence—he argued that UN doctrines need recalibration. Missions today, he noted, operate in contexts with no clear peace to keep, where mandates are often vague, and political consensus is elusive.

He advocated for:

• Doctrinal reform that allows missions to be more adaptable and responsive.
• Flexible mandates aligned with realities on the ground rather than Security Council politics.
• Capacity-building within TCCs to develop in-mission expertise, especially in civil-military coordination, mediation, and use of emerging technologies.

Lt. Gen. Nambiar concluded with a reminder: “Peacekeeping is not just a military act—it is a political instrument. And India, through its principled and professional contributions, has kept that spirit alive.”

Reaffirming India’s Peacekeeping Legacy

Maj Gen PK Goswami (Retd), a veteran with extensive experience in peacekeeping operations, set the tone by reaffirming that India’s contributions to UN peacekeeping are not only quantitative but qualitatively distinctive. “No one can do meaningful peacekeeping better than Indians,” he declared, stressing the combination of empathy, discipline, and cultural adaptability that Indian soldiers bring to the field.

Maj. Gen. Goswami traced India’s peacekeeping legacy back to 1950, starting with its role in Korea and later through its leadership in countries like Congo, Cambodia, Namibia, and South Sudan. He highlighted how Indian contingents are not merely neutral military forces but stabilising agents that often serve as bridges between warring factions and local populations.

He particularly emphasised the philosophical underpinnings of India’s approach, rooted in Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and Gandhian principles of non-violence and moral courage. This, he argued, enables Indian peacekeepers to win the trust of communities, making peace enforcement more sustainable and humane.

Maj Gen Goswami also acknowledged India’s pioneering innovations such as All Women Formed Police Unit and Female Engagement Teams, community outreach projects, and medical and veterinary camps, which have reshaped the norms of UN deployments. “We are not just boots on the ground,” he said, “we are hearts in the community.”

Strategic Leadership: From Doctrine to Reality

Lt. Gen. JS Lidder (Retd), former Force Commander and then Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Sudan, spoke on strategic leadership and training gaps. He stressed the need to equip military leaders with political acumen, aligning peacekeeping with complex mission mandates. Lt Gen Lidder also emphasised sustainable engagement with tribal communities, underlining that trust-building is central to operational success.

He highlighted the evolving nature of conflicts, noting that peacekeeping operations now face challenges such as terrorism, cyber threats, and climate-induced crises. Lt Gen. Lidder advocated for a strategic reset in UN peacekeeping, emphasising that leadership should not be confined to rank but should be based on competence and adaptability. He introduced the concept of “Think Strategic and Act Operational,” urging peacekeepers to anticipate challenges and adapt swiftly to changing environments.

Diplomatic Imperatives and Policy Innovation

Ambassador Asoke Mukerji, India’s former Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered a stark warning on growing global instability and the UN Security Council’s failure to authorise peacekeeping mandates. Drawing a historical parallel with the Korean War, he warned that the UN General Assembly may increasingly assume peace and security responsibilities in the face of P5 inaction.

He advocated for reforms such as regional troop-contributing country (TCC) training centres, Make-in-India defence integration into PKOs, and linking peacekeeping with development financing. “Indian peacekeepers bring national experience to UN peacebuilding,” he concluded, emphasising India’s value-driven contributions.

Integrating Peacekeeping with Peacebuilding

Lt Gen Rakesh Kapoor, Deputy Chief of Army Staff, underscored India’s inclusive approach to peacekeeping—deploying all-women contingents and integrating Kazakh sub-units into its deployed peacekeeping units. He stated that India remains open to collaboration with any agency to enhance the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions, reflecting a spirit of internationalism and adaptability.

He cautioned that “the absence of war is not peace,” noting that peacekeeping operations (PKOs) now function in environments fractured by tribal tensions, ethnic strife, gender-based violence, and profound trust deficits. These realities, he argued, demand agile and context-specific strategies rather than rigid frameworks, making peacekeeping a complex and evolving domain.

Advocating for a unified force model, Lt. Gen. Kapoor called for a seamless integration of peacekeeping, peacebuilding, and humanitarian efforts. He emphasised that women and youth are vital agents of change in these missions. He also spotlighted India’s leadership in mental health support through the deployment of dedicated counsellors and in capacity-building initiatives across health, education, and employment sectors—hallmarks of India’s value-driven peacekeeping.

UN Resident Coordinator’s Perspective

Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator in India, emphasised the importance of building lasting partnerships to enhance the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping missions. He stated that “strong, collaborative relationships” are needed to bridge the gap between the mandates given and the mission capabilities of UN peacekeeping operations. Sharp highlighted the need for more cooperation, multilateralism, and a reformed UN system that reflects current global realities. He acknowledged the calls for UN reform, stating, “We can’t build a future for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents”.

Honouring the Fallen, Building the Future

This year, Brigadier Amitabh Jha (UNDOF) and Havildar Sanjay Singh (MONUSCO) have been posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal. Their legacy joins that of 182 Indian peacekeepers who have laid down their lives in the service of global peace.

USI also spotlighted the role of its Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK), which continues to train Indian and international personnel, while the USI Centre for UN Studies (CUNS) contributes Indian strategic thought to global forums by collaborating with international institutions like the Challenges Forum, NUPI, EPON, SIPRI, FES, GCSP, UN Women, Global Alliance for Peace Operations, and the ICRC.

As the symposium concluded, one theme echoed strongly: India, backed by seven decades of operational excellence, is not only a contributor to peace but a thought leader shaping its future.