Indian association with UN peace keeping is a long one, it began with the mission to Korea and continues till date in Liberia and other countries. We have 8,000 troops deployed around the world .Nearly half the contribution of troops in UNPKO [ 2007] is from India , Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal . The developed world’s contribution is very insignificant. The developing nations send their troops on such assignments with motives which could range from showing a greater international presence to the financial rewards.
The Indian Government is proud of this fact and harps it every international fora. However, India can neither afford these operations any longer nor is it in its interest to continue with them. India has no dearth of conflicts where it has deployed either its army or paramilitary forces. Soldiers are deployed in areas far away from home and sometimes far away from civilization too. They live a hard life protecting the nation. India has fought bitter wars with Pakistan and China in which thousands of soldiers became martyrs. Special forces play with their lives while dealing with terrorists and Maoists. The death of soldiers in Kashmir is almost a daily occurrence . The armed forces are having a tough life as it is so let us not lad them with the thankless task of being peacekeepers.
India hopes that its wholehearted support to the peacekeeping forces will win it accolades and the powers that be will reward it with a permanent seat in the UNSC. The UN et al will also try to keep this hope alive so that it gets its steady supply of troops . In 2010, India expressed concern on the manner in which UN peace keeping operations are conducted, saying such missions are given “unrealistic and confusing mandates” . The unarmed or under-armed troops are sitting ducks for militia, warring tribes and criminal gangs.
Indian troops in Africa have also become mired in controversies .Indian troops in Congo have been accused of corruption, sexual misconduct ,falling short in their obligation to protect civilians from violent militias and favoritism toward anti-government rebels. Verbal vitriol was thrown on the Indian troops and the Congolese government officials paid crowds to hurl stones at the Indian peacekeepers India had a bad experience in Sierra Leone too, there Indian General Jetley’s relations with other troop contributors, including Nigeria, have been extremely fraught. Such malicious allegations do a lasting damage to our nation’s image even though it is disproved at a later stage.
It is definitely not worthwhile to imperil our soldiers for peace in a far off country which doesn’t appreciate its efforts. Indian foreign policy unlike that of many nations , doesn’t forment trouble in foreign lands , so India needn’t bend over backwards in an effort to bring about peace in a war-torn faraway land . It has contributed enough and should now focus on its internal conflicts.
Nitu's thoughts 