India has been again elected to the United Nations Peace-building Commission for 2025-2026 term which manifests its continued enthusiastic support to make world a safer place. This re-election is evidence of India’s important position in international peace keeping and its commitment to providing assistance to conflict-ridden areas both by using a peace through development approach.
The UN Peace-building Commission was created in 2005 as an intergovernmental, advisory organ to help support peace in countries recovering from conflict. The Commission is assigned to convene all actors who need to be mobilised to coordinate the process of mobilisation of resources and co-ordinate them, provide suggestions for comprehensive strategies for post-conflict development, draw attention to the issues of reconstruction and institution-building processes which are indispensable for the further sustainable development. Comprising 31 member states elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council, the PBC plays a crucial role in coordinating international efforts to support peace-building initiatives.
This is a clear indication of India’s continued support to united nation’s peace-keeping missions for election to PBC. India ranks among the top source countries of uniformed personnel to the UN and has approximately 6,000 military and police serving in different UN missions worldwide. India has been contributing its peacekeepers for maintaining peace and security some of the most troubled areas of the globe where it operates in a very difficult environment.
Another proof of its dedication to the cause of peacekeeping is the loss of precious lives of officials deputed on duty in different parts of the world. The surviving Indian peacekeepers have reported that nearly 180 of them have died while performing their duties, the highest figure. As one of the world’s most committed defenders of multilateralism, this dedication proves raw determination of India to support international peace and order.
India is one of the founding members of the PBC and so it has provided leadership in charting the course of the Commission and its work. Indian method of operation on peace consolidation is strategic and coordinated in the framework of apparent central dimensions of security, human rights and development. And since inclusive and sustainable development has been adopted, India seeks to target the causes of conflict and foster sustainable peace and security.
India’s re- election to PBC for the term 2025- 2026 will allow it to be more involved in the construction of peace. In its capacity, the Commission is also supposed to prepare proposals and recommendations designed to enhance the effectiveness of coordination between all the involved actors, set up benchmarks are to guide the action, as well as provide for the predictable funding of early recovery measures. The success in the attainment of these objectives will benefit from India’s experience and a proven record in peacekeeping and development.
As an intermediary body the PBC communicates with the principal organs and other entities of the United Nations regarding advice on peace-building requirements and trends. In doing so, the Commission facilitates the coordination of the processes in order to make the interventions more systematic and use resources optimally.
India was also very active in the PBC that further demonstrates India’s commitment of multilateralism and UN charter. As the world becomes more densely connected the international cooperation is needed to cope with the global challenges. Therefore the way and manners India took part in the PBC reflects its commitment to cooperate with the international system in order to secure and advance international peace, security and development.
The UN Peace-building Commission
The United Nations Peace-building Commission or the PBC is a very important part of the larger process through which the UN helps states transit from conflict to sustainable post-conflict peace. Formally launched in 2005 as the result of General Assembly and Security Council resolutions, the PBC was created to complement existing practices of the international community related to post-conflict reconstruction, with major focus placed upon Integrated Peace-building architectures.
Origins and Mandate
It is within this context that the PBC was founded in order to encourage peace not just the cessation of conflict. It required a consistent and complex strategy to attend to sources of the warfare so as to make sure that destructive force will not be repeated again. The PBC's mandate includes:
- Bringing Together Relevant Actors: In this way the PBC becomes a coordination mechanism where national government, international donors, financial institutions and civil society organizations are involved. Such a strategy safeguards for instance ensures that every effort made supplements the other and that the available resources used are efficient.
- Marshalling Resources: It is a post-conflict reconstruction actor which seeks to fund raise and attract technical cooperation for recovery. The Commission thus makes it possible for countries which have been affected by conflict to have required funds needed in order to recover.
- Advising on Integrated Strategies: PBC consults and offers recommendations on complex strategies for the creation of the sustainable peace: military, political, economic, as well as social. Integration offered in this framework seeks to promote the attainment of the objectives by addressing the root causes of conflict and building capacity on the side of institutions.
- Sustaining International Attention: Currently the PBC ensures that the International community remains interested and committed to the true reconstruction process of a nation. Stretching a gaze on the cause of peace building, the Commission is in a position avoid the re-emergence of violence.
Structure and Membership
PBC’s members are 31, elected by the General Assembly, the Security Council, and also the Economic and Social Council. It is made up of members from different countries that categories include, important donors, the countries that provide troops, and countries with the experience of state building. The Commission is backed up by the Peace-building Support Office (PBSO) that offers services of a secretariat and technical assistance.
The PBC is coordinated by its Organizational Committee, which supervises its work, and Country-Specific Configurations, which address the specifics of particular countries. These configurations make it possible to strategies on a country by country basis and guarantee that the peace build up programmes are in harmony with the various countries.
Achievements and Impact
The PBC has contributed towards peace building process in much conflict affected countries in the world. Some notable achievements include:
- Support for Sierra Leone: The PBC was instrumental in offering policy coordination and advocacy for change from warfare to peace in Sierra Leone, policy advocacy for resources for post-war reconstruction. This included backing for governance functions, per capital income and the endeavour to enhance provisions in the rule of law.
- Engagement in Burundi: The political activism of the PBC in Burundi by addressing the political debate and encouraging the government populace factor played a significant role in stabilization of the country. The Commission through fostering of inclusive governance and participation has also played a key role in championing for social cohesion through support to community led peace building.
- Assistance to the Central African Republic: The PBC has been quite involved in the process of the Central African Republic’s peace-building projects with regard to security and justice framework, humanitarian aid, and reconciliation projects. The Commission has made some positive impacts in eradicating the fundamental and quick impacts on human suffering and has also prepared for the sustained stability.
Issues and the direction
However, the PBC struggles with the following challenges in the discharge of its mandate. These include:
- Resource Constraints: one of the major or core bottlenecks is the predictability and sustainability of funding for peace-building processes. The PBC has not changed its policy on demand for more funds from the international sources to finance the commission’s operations.
- Coordination and Coherence: Ordinarily, it is not easy to coordinate actors of the various fields that are involved in the process of peace building and consolidation. The PBC endeavours to improve coordination in international support but follow-up action is required to intensify exchange and co-operation between the donors and avoid over-lapping’s.
- Addressing Root Causes: To understand the complex issues that lead to conflict, for instance, poverty, issue of equality, and politics, one has to commit his or her self in a long term and embark on overall solution. The PBC also ensures that it adopts rational and flexible policies of the peace-building process.
Military and Police forces sent to UN Missions by India
India has served as a leading and consistently prominent contributor to the United Nations peacekeeping forces and operations. Currently, India is one of the major troop-contributing countries which have sent thousands of its military and police participates to different UN missions internationally. Basing on the set objectives, here we will looks at the roles India has played and the experience that it has faced while participating in the UN peacekeeping processes as well as the outcomes that have resulted from its participation in the process.
Historical Background of the Field and Its Development
United Nations peacekeeping missions involve India from as far as 1950 when it participated with a medical team to Korean War. Since then India has been involved in more than 49 peace-keeping operations deployments and provided more than two hundred thousand troops and police. India to contribute 7,860 troops in 2014 and is third largest troop contributor of the total UN peacekeeping force with ten missions. India had committed about 6,000 military and police personnel to missions in Abyei, Central African Republic, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara until December 2023.
Key contributions and Achievements
The Indian peacekeepers have played a vital role in upholding peace and security on conflicts affected countries. These have included military observer, staff officer and members of formed police unit, among others. Indian peacekeepers have been praised for their work as a force for non-use of force and ensuring safety of civilians in the conflict zones. For example, in South Sudan, ahead of the UN mandated peacekeeping mission, India peacekeepers were awarded medals for bravery when they stopped a probable genocide.
India has also shown great leadership in leading various UN peace keeping missions over present world. Indian officers have been involved in missions in different capacities such as military advisors and advisers to the police, force commanders, deputy military advisers and many more. Most importantly, India Contingent is the first all-women formed police unit which was sent to UN operation in Liberia in 2007 indicating India’s concern for women and their participation in the peacekeeping operations.
Challenges and Sacrifices
Despite its contributions, India's involvement in UN peacekeeping has not been without challenges. The country has also grappled with challenges of resource gaps, great operational challenges mainly in conflict areas. The Indian peace keepers have equally paid a dear price, so far, some of them have died in action, and the number was the highest by any troop contributing country. These sacrifices signify commitment and courage of the Indian peacekeepers in the cause that they have been mandated to uphold “peace and security”.