Commemoration of the 76th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

Tags: Defence

The Indian Army commemorated the 76th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on May 29th.

An Overview of the News

• A homage ceremony was held at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

• Lieutenant General Rakesh Kapoor, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, along with officials from the United Nations, the Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of External Affairs, laid wreaths to mark the occasion.

Historical Significance

• This day celebrates the first UN Peacekeeping Mission, the UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), which began in Palestine in 1948.

• Tributes are paid globally to the dedication and courage of UN Peacekeepers, honouring those who sacrifice for peace.

India's Contribution to UN Peacekeeping

• India is a major contributor to UN Peacekeeping, having provided around 287,000 troops to various missions.

• 160 Indian soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice in UN Peacekeeping missions.

Training and Deployment

• The Centre for UN Peacekeeping in New Delhi trains over 12,000 troops annually and shares best practices internationally.

• Currently, Indian forces are deployed in nine countries.