[Event] Advancing Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Imperative in a Fragmented World

USI ANNUAL UN FORUM 23-24 October 2025 (In collaboration with ICRC and CUNPK)

New Delhi – October 18, 2025 – The Centre for UN Studies, United Service Institution of India (USI), will host its Annual UN Forum 2025 on 23–24 October 2025 at the USI Auditorium in New Delhi.  Themed “Advancing Peacekeeping and Humanitarian Imperative in a Fragmented World,” the two-day event will bring together senior policymakers, military and government leaders, scholars, and representatives of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).  The forum is co-hosted by USI in collaboration with the ICRC and India’s Centre for UN Peacekeeping (CUNPK).  It will focus on pressing contemporary challenges in United Nations peace operations and humanitarian action.

The forum will examine critical focus areas identified in the official concept note.  These include:

• Modern challenges in peacekeeping:  In an age of over 130 ongoing armed conflicts, peace operations face unprecedented complexity. Contemporary wars involve multiple non-state actors and proxy forces, making negotiated settlements difficult. UN missions now contend with dwindling resources, financial constraints, rising violence, vulnerable civilian populations, and widespread violations of international norms. The Forum will explore how UN peacekeeping can adapt to these realities.

• International Humanitarian Law (IHL):  The conference will highlight the crucial role of IHL in armed conflict.  Delegates will discuss recent ICRC-led initiatives aimed at galvanizing political commitment to the Geneva Conventions and related law, and how to strengthen compliance amid the devastating humanitarian impact of modern warfare.  Sessions will assess how conflicting parties interpret and apply IHL, and emphasize measures to better protect civilians and combatants who are hors de combat.

• Role of women and youth in peace and security:  Emphasizing gender and generational perspectives, the forum will highlight UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 (Women, Peace and Security) and 2250 (Youth, Peace and Security).  Speakers will examine how empowering women and young people as actors in peace processes has become essential for sustainable conflict prevention and recovery.

• Protection of Civilians (PoC):  With conflicts increasingly marked by attacks on civilians – including bombings of schools and hospitals and mass displacement – the forum will address comprehensive approaches to civilian protection.  Discussions will focus on balancing military necessity with humanitarian considerations, and on improving UN-mandated PoC strategies in the field .

• Primacy of politics in peace operations:  Delegates will review the principle that peacekeeping must support political solutions at national and local levels.  As underscored by the HIPPO and Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) frameworks, peace operations are most effective when closely aligned with inclusive political processes.  Sessions will explore how UN missions can integrate political engagement and local dynamics to consolidate peace.

The USI Annual UN Forum is a flagship event that underscores the institution’s global standing in peacekeeping, security discourse and humanitarian issues.  It will convene an international array of stakeholders – including former and current UN officials, defence and police officers, diplomats, aid experts and academics – who will share insights on peacekeeping and humanitarian imperative.  Opening Session:  The forum will begin with welcome remarks by Maj Gen P.K. Goswami (Retd), Director of the Centre for United Nations Studies (USI), and an opening address by Maj Gen B.K. Sharma (Retd), Director General of USI.  These will be followed by a video message from Mr Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, United Nations. The Keynote Address will be delivered by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, AVSM, VM, VSM, CISC and President of the USI Council, and finally a Special Address by Mr Alfonso Verdu Perez, Head of the Regional Delegation of the ICRC in New Delhi.

The forum will feature thematic panels over two days, with distinguished chairs and experts leading discussions on the above focus areas.  At its conclusion, USI will host the launch of the new book “75 Years of India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping,” authored by Maj Gen P.K. Goswami (Retd), celebrating India’s long-standing role in UN missions.

The USI Annual UN Forum 2025 will highlight India’s active engagement in global peace and security debates.  By bringing together diverse perspectives from military, policy and humanitarian spheres, the forum aims to forge practical recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of UN peace operations. Stakeholders will exchange insights and best practices to strengthen peacekeeping, uphold humanitarian law, and protect civilians. In doing so, the Forum seeks to contribute to a more secure and peaceful world, in which the core principles of peacekeeping and humanitarian law are respected by all.

For media and the public: The event is open to accredited media.  For more information on the USI Annual UN Forum 2025 and to register, visit the USI website or contact the USI.

About USI: Founded in 1870 by Major General Sir Charles MacGregor, the United Service Institution of India is the nation’s oldest tri-service think tank. USI promotes research and dialogue on national security, military strategy, conflict studies, emerging technologies and peacekeeping. Its Centre for United Nations Studies fosters India’s contributions to UN peace operations through seminars, conferences, training, and collaboration with global partners.

Media Partnership:

The Kootneeti is the official media and coverage partner for the USI Annual UN Forum 2025.