India on Friday highlighted its long-standing contribution to United Nations peacekeeping operations, with over 2.9 lakh Indian personnel having served in more than 50 missions across the world since the 1950s.Marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tribute to peacekeepers serving in conflict zones worldwide and acknowledged their role in preserving peace in some of the world’s most volatile regions.“On the International Day of UN Peacekeepers today, pay tribute to the brave women and men serving under UN Peacekeeping across the world. Their steadfast commitment to preserving peace and security continues to make a meaningful difference in some of the most challenging environments,” Jaishankar said in a post on X.India remains among the largest troop contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, with more than 5,000 Indian personnel currently deployed in nine of the 11 active UN missions worldwide, including in South Sudan, Lebanon and Congo.Nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers have lost their lives in UN operations over the decades, among the highest sacrifices made by any troop-contributing nation.Officials said India’s role in peacekeeping goes beyond troop deployment and includes training, humanitarian outreach, logistics support and capacity building for partner countries.The Indian Army’s Centre for United Nations Peacekeeping (CUNPK) in New Delhi trains over 12,000 personnel annually and has emerged as a key institution for international peacekeeping cooperation.India has also played a pioneering role in promoting women’s participation in peacekeeping missions. In 2007, it became the first country to deploy an all-women Formed Police Unit to Liberia, a move widely seen as a milestone in UN peacekeeping history.More than 150 Indian women peacekeepers are currently serving across multiple UN missions, with their role increasingly recognised in community outreach, protection of vulnerable groups and conflict resolution.Indian officer Major Radhika Sen was recently honoured by the United Nations as the “Military Gender Advocate of the Year 2023”, underlining India’s growing contribution to gender-inclusive peacekeeping efforts.Officials said India’s peacekeeping engagement reflects its broader commitment to multilateralism, global stability and the principle of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the belief that the world is one family.With geopolitical tensions intensifying across several regions, Indian officials maintain that UN peacekeeping remains an indispensable instrument for preserving international peace and security, despite growing operational and political challenges facing multilateral institutions.As the United Nations marks another year of peacekeeping efforts, India’s continuing contribution underscores its attempt to position itself as a responsible stakeholder in the global order and a strong advocate of multilateral cooperation.