India is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping, with over 290,000 peacekeepers sent to more than 50 missions

Background

UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 with the establishment of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in the Middle East to monitor ceasefires.
Since the 1950s, India has sent over 290,000 peacekeepers to more than 50 missions worldwide, making it the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts.
Over 5,000 Indian peacekeepers are currently deployed in 9 active missions, and nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice.
UN peacekeepers are known as Blue Helmets. In 1947, the UN decided on this colour because blue symbolizes peace, while red is often linked to war.
In 2023, India received the UN's highest peacekeeping honour, the Dag Hammarskjold Medal, posthumously awarded to Indian peacekeepers Shishupal Singh and Sanwala Ram Vishnoi and civilian UN worker Shaber Taher Ali for their sacrifice in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mission failures in Rwanda and Bosnia prompted reforms, leading to the Brahimi Report (2000), which emphasized robust mandates and better resources.
The Centre of United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New Delhi conducts India's peacekeeping training and capacity-building programmes.