Indian Army contributes 2,300 personnel for UN peace keeping mission in South Sudan

Indian Army is contributing approximately 2300 personnel to support United Nations Peacekeeping Missions to South Sudan  (UNMISS) in order to bring peace and normalcy in the war-torn country.
It includes deployment of seven Garhwal Rifles Infantry battalion group of the Indian Army. The deployment of Indian peacekeepers in South Sudan is under Chapter VII which entails Peace Enforcement.

Key Facts

This is for first time troops hailing fromGarhwal region have been nominated to deploy in United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The unit will be in operational control of sensitive Jonglei state of South Sudan with detachment at Juba, its headquarters in Bor County and air maintained company group at Pibor County where armed conflicts and ethnic violence is on the rise.

Background

South Sudan had gained independence from Sudan in 2011, making it the newest nation in the world. Civil war had broken out in infant nation in 2013. The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is newest UN Peacekeeping Mission. India, with 2,237 troops, is the highest contributor in terms of troops to UNMISS. In addition to India, 53 nations from around the world have contributed troops to the peacekeeping mission.

India and UN Peacekeeping

The Indian Army is the largest cumulative troop contributor to United Nations Peacekeeping Missions mandated to maintain stability and negotiate a peace settlement in turbulent regions of the world. So far India has provided almost 200,000 troops in nearly 50 of the 71 UN peacekeeping missions over the past six decades, including 13 of the current 16 missions. Last year, 7,606 Indian peacekeepers were deployed in UN missions.  Moreover, India has suffered 163 fatalities since the peacekeeping operations began in 1948, the most by any country.

Month: Current Affairs - February, 2018