Remarking on the fact that India was yet to find a place as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on June 13 that the time had come for the U.N. and its bodies to be “more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age”.
“When India, the most populous nation, does not find a seat as a permanent member of the UNSC, it tends to undermine the moral legitimacy of the U.N. Therefore, the time has come for making the U.N. bodies more democratic and representative of the current realities of our age,” Mr. Singh said speaking at a seminar organised by the Army along with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies and Centre for U.N. Peacekeeping to celebrate 75 years of U.N. peacekeeping.
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India has been one of the top troop-contributing nations to U.N. peacekeeping operations. It has contributed approximately 2.75 lakh troops to the missions so far. Mr. Rajnath called for innovative approaches and enhanced cooperation among responsible nations to ensure the safety and effectiveness of U.N. peacekeepers who are deployed in violence-hit regions.
Highlighting the emerging challenges being faced by the peacekeepers today, Mr. Singh stressed the need to invest more in training, technology and resources for their safety and productivity. He also advocated for the meaningful participation of women in peacekeeping operations, emphasising that their unique contribution during missions in conflict-affected areas must be recognised.
“When there is a conflict, it is harmful to the directly involved actors. Moreover, it has negative externalities for those involved indirectly. There is a plethora of negative externalities that have emanated out of the recent Russia-Ukraine conflict. It has led to food crisis in various African and Asian countries and has fuelled an energy crisis in the world. A conflict at a particular place or region creates ripple effects, which adversely impact the whole world. So, the rest of the world becomes a stakeholder in resolving the conflict and restoring peace. This is because peace has a positive externality. When conflicting parties restore peace, they benefit in terms of human lives saved, higher economic growth achieved, etc. The rest of the world also benefits as peace fosters stability and encourages economic growth,” Mr. Singh stated.
In his opening remarks, Army chief General Manoj Pande said that currently there are close to 5,900 Indian peacekeepers serving around the world on various peacekeeping operations, including “female engagement teams” who work with women and children affected by conflicts. There are also women staff officers and military observers.
“Since the first deployment in 1950, Indian peacekeepers have served in almost all U.N. missions across four continents, making us the largest contributor to U.N. peacekeeping efforts, both in terms of personnel and resources,” he added.
On the occasion, Mr. Singh unveiled a pictorial compilation of India’s peacekeeping journey. May 29 is marked as the International Day of U.N. Peacekeepers.
