Recently , at the 2025 Group of Friends (GoF) meeting at the UN, India reaffirmed that accountability for crimes against peacekeepers is vital amid rising threats and operational challenges.

Key Highlights of 2025 High-Level Meeting

• Strategic Framing of Accountability: India described accountability as a strategic necessity, critical for the safety and success of peacekeepers’ missions.
• Combatting Impunity: Lack of punishment emboldens assailants, jeopardizing international peace efforts and undermining mission morale.
• India’s Leadership Reaffirmed: India underscored its leadership role, having contributed over 300,000 peacekeepers and lost 182 personnel in service.
  • India pledged ongoing legal, diplomatic, and moral support for global accountability efforts.

About GoF

• It is an informal platform of United Nations member states aimed at promoting justice for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers.
• Establishment: The GoF was launched in December 2022 during India’s Presidency of the UN Security Council.
• Objective: It was created to operationalize the objectives of UNSC Resolution 2589 (2021), which mandates action against impunity for attacks on UN peacekeepers.
• Membership: The Group currently includes around 40 UN member states, with India as a co-chair, alongside like-minded countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
  • The coalition represents a collective will to uphold the rule of law in peacekeeping missions globally.

About UN Peacekeeping Force

• Introduction: The United Nations Peacekeeping Force is a global security mechanism that deploys personnel to conflict zones to maintain peace, protect civilians, and support post-conflict recovery.
• Role and Mandate: Peacekeepers serve under the UN flag to monitor ceasefires, assist in the political process, protect human rights, and support rule of law in fragile regions.
• Contributors to Peacekeeping: As of 2025, the top troop-contributing countries include Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Rwanda, and Pakistan.
  • These countries contribute significantly in terms of both personnel and field support.

India’s Contribution to UN Peacekeeping

• Long-standing Participation: India has been one of the oldest and most consistent contributors to UN peacekeeping, participating since 1948.
• Cumulative Deployment : India has deployed over 300,000 peacekeepers to date, the highest by any nation.
  Indian troops have participated in nearly every major UN peacekeeping mission across continents.
• Sacrifice and Recognition: A total of 182 Indian peacekeepers have lost their lives in the line of duty, exemplifying India’s courage and commitment to international peace.

Conclusion

India, as Co-Chair of the GoF for Accountability of Crimes against Peacekeepers, continues to champion justice, operational safety, and credibility in UN peacekeeping operations worldwide

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