UN Peacekeeping missions may move to preventive diplomacy than armed presence, says Chief of Army

NEW DELHI: General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff, on Tuesday said that under financial constraints, the United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping missions have to be planned at smaller scales and will have to move towards preventive diplomacy. He said that reduced funding for UN missions will be a reality, and missions have to be planned with fewer boots on the ground and more reliance on tech. With reduced numbers on the ground, we could also visualise UN Peacekeeping moving more towards preventive diplomacy and sustainable peace building, not just armed presence. That is where militaries can contribute in negotiations, the Army Chief added. He was addressing the gathering at the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries (UNTCC) Chiefs' Conclave held here from October 14 to 16. The Conclave is being attended by the leadership of 32 troop-contributing nations who together provide nearly two-thirds of all peacekeepers deployed worldwide. The Chief described that Peacekeeping represents the most visible manifestation of the UN Charter's call to maintain international peace and security. But, there has been an overall decline in personnel manning the UN Missions across the globe. According to the data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in May this year, deployments to peace operations have dropped by over 40 per cent in the last decade - from 1,61,509 personnel in 2015 to just 94,451 in 2024. General highlighted that peacekeeping today faces challenges of unprecedented scale and complexity. The global order is almost at an inflection point, marked by over 56 active conflicts and the involvement of nearly 90 nations. The infusion of disruptive technologies, the growing influence of non-state actors, hybrid warfare, and the scourge of disinformation have blurred the traditional boundaries of conflict. Shifting geopolitical currents strain the spirit of consensus that underpins cohesive UN action. Such realities demand more resilient, swift, and unified responses that only peacekeepers, working together, can deliver, he said. India, with its more than 5200 Peacekeepers, also known as Blue Helmets, is the third troop contributor after more than 5,900 of Nepal and over 5,400 of Bangladesh. India, as one of the largest contributors to peacekeeping, has sent approx 300,000 men and women across 51 missions out of the total 71 peacekeeping missions of the UN. These include early deployments in Korea (1950) and Congo (1960) to the current deployment in nine out of 11 ongoing missions. Given this crucial role of peacekeepers, we have no choice but to be future-ready which may require bold imagination and practical adaptation, said the Army Chief.