International Day of Peacekeepers: India underlines unwavering commitment to UN peacekeeping
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, emphasized that “The Blue Helmets continue to be the face of the United Nations at crisis points in various parts of the world.” | Photo credit: Reuters
India underscored its “unwavering commitment” to UN peacekeeping as it paid tribute at a ceremony here to peacekeepers who sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
The Permanent Missions of India and Austria to the United Nations organized a function on Friday (May 29, 2026) to mark the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to pay tribute to the supreme sacrifice of fallen peacekeepers.
India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, emphasized that “The Blue Helmets continue to be the face of the United Nations at crisis points in various parts of the world.”
“Salute the UN peacekeepers whose tireless efforts in the most dangerous environments bring peace and stability around the world. India has an unwavering commitment to UN peacekeeping and will continue its efforts to achieve this noble goal,” Parvathaneni said.
A post by the Indian Mission on X said the solemn event paid tribute to more than 4,000 brave men and women, uniformed and civilian peacekeepers, who laid down their lives for peace.
#IndiaAtUN@IndieUNNewYork and @AustriaUN held a gala event on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to pay tribute to the ultimate sacrifice of fallen peacekeepers.
PR @AmbHarishP emphasized that the Blue Helmets continue to be the face of society @UN in crisis places… pic.twitter.com/OX5Cbfl0h3
— India at the UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) May 29, 2026
India, one of the largest troop-contributing countries, has deployed nearly three million troops since 1948 in more than 50 UN peacekeeping missions. About 184 Indian peacekeepers made the supreme sacrifice in defense of international peace and security, the Indian mission said.
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is observed annually on 29 May, a date chosen for the commemoration because it was the day in 1948 when the Security Council established the first UN peacekeeping operation, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization in West Asia.
UN headquarters in New York will mark the Day on June 5, when Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will lay a wreath in honor of the men and women who have served in UN peacekeeping operations and lost their lives in the cause of peace. He will then posthumously present the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal to 68 military, police and civilian peacekeepers who paid the ultimate price in the line of duty, including 59 who died last year.
This year, Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh, who served with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan, who was deployed with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), will be honored posthumously by Mr. Guterres for their sacrifice.
In addition, Mr. Guterres will present the 2025 Military Gender Advocate Award to Major Abhilasha Barak of India, who serves with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), recognizing her efforts to help women and girls during her deployment in the West Asian country. Ms. Barak serves with the Indian Battalion as a Female Engagement Team (FET) Commander in UNIFIL. She is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot of the Indian Army.
In a proud moment for India, Ms Barak will be the third recipient of the prestigious award in the country after Major Suman Gawani and Major Radhika Sen were recognized for their commendable work while serving in UN peacekeeping missions.
Ms. Gawani, who served in UNMISS, was awarded the 2019 UN Military Gender Advocate Award. The 2023 award went to Ms. Sen, who served in MONUSCO.
India is the second largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping forces. It currently contributes more than 4,200 military and police personnel – including 155 women – to UN peacekeeping operations in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Western Asia, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara. More than 180 Indian peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, by far the highest number of any troop-contributing country.
Published – 30 May 2026 11:25 IST