India Calls for Stronger UN Peacekeeping, Better Protection for Blue Helmets

New Delhi, November 06, 2026 India has reiterated the need to strengthen United Nations peacekeeping operations, calling for better-equipped missions, enhanced security for personnel and a greater role for countries contributing troops and police forces. Delivering India's statement at the UN in military uniform, the Indian representative highlighted the country's longstanding contribution to international peace efforts and stressed that peacekeeping must evolve to address emerging security challenges while remaining rooted in its core principles. Paying tribute to peacekeepers who lost their lives this year, the representative recalled that India has deployed more than 300,000 troops across 50 UN missions, making it the largest troop-contributing country to date. He noted that 184 Indian peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while serving as Blue Helmets. Emphasizing the importance of impartiality, consent and the restrained use of force, he said these principles are essential to maintaining trust in peacekeeping operations. India also called for clearly defined political objectives, adequate resources and institutional consultations with troop and police-contributing countries before mission mandates are adopted or reviewed. Raising concerns over increasing threats to UN personnel, India stressed that attacks against peacekeepers must invite accountability, highlighting its continued leadership on Security Council Resolution 2589. It also advocated reviewing missions according to their operational relevance, warning against the continuation of operations without a clear purpose. The representative further called for faster integration of modern technology and renewable energy, reaffirming India's support for the UNITE Aware initiative. Highlighting women's participation, he recalled India's deployment of women peacekeepers since 1960, its first-ever all-female Formed Police Unit in Liberia in 2007, and the current deployment of 160 women peacekeepers alongside Female Engagement Teams in various missions. India also welcomed the UN Secretary-General's report on the review of all forms of peace operations and reaffirmed the importance of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) in deliberating on related matters. Concluding the address, the representative said that strengthening peacekeeping is among India's priorities for its candidature to the UN Security Council for the 2028–29 term. India reaffirmed its commitment to building a peacekeeping system that is better resourced, better protected and more representative of the international community.