The Indian Army today commemorated the 76th International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers by paying homage to fallen heroes at the National War Memorial, New Delhi. Lieutenant General Rakesh Kapoor, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, along with officials from the United Nations, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of External Affairs laid wreaths to mark the occasion.
This day celebrates the first UN Peacekeeping Mission, UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), which began in Palestine in 1948. Tributes are paid globally to the dedication and courage of UN Peacekeepers, and those who sacrifice for peace are honoured.
India, a major contributor to UN Peacekeeping, has provided around 287,000 troops to various missions. 160 soldiers have also made the ultimate sacrifice for the mission.The Centre for UN Peacekeeping in New Delhi trains over 12,000 troops annually and shares best practices internationally. Currently, Indian forces are deployed in nine countries.