Indian Army deploys its largest contingent of women peacekeepers in Abyei

India, one of the major contributors of troops to the UN peacekeeping effort, is sending a battalion of female peacekeepers to Abyei in Sudan making it the largest single contingent of female Blue Helmets sent by the nation since 2007.

The contingent will be part of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

Taking to Twitter, the official Twitter account of the Indian Army wrote, "#IndianArmy deploys its largest contingent of women #Peacekeepers in #UnitedNation mission at #Abyei, #UNISFA. The team will provide relief & assistance to women & children in one of the highly operational & challenging terrain conditions under the @UN flag."

Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also expressed pride in India's history of active engagement in UN peacekeeping missions.

Quoting the above-mentioned tweet, he wrote, "Proud to see this. India has a tradition of active participation in UN peacekeeping missions. The participation by our Nari Shakti is even more gladdening."

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also tweeted, sharing a photograph of the contingent.

"A Platoon of women peacekeepers deployed today as part of the Indian Battalion in UNISFA, Abyei. Our cherished tradition of UN Peacekeeping reflects #NariShakti again.

Confident that they will discharge their blue helmet responsibilities fully and do the nation proud," he wrote.

According to a statement from India's Permanent Mission to the UN, the Indian contingent, which consists of two officers and twenty-five other ranks, will work as part of an engagement platoon, specialize in community involvement, and carry out several security-related duties as well.

It went on to say that their presence would be especially appreciated in Abyei, where a recent uptick in violence has sparked a wave of difficult humanitarian concerns for women and children in the war zone.

The Indian mission stated that women peacekeepers are well recognized in UN missions throughout the globe for their capacity to engage with local women and children, particularly those who have experienced sexual assault in crisis zones.

India, with 5887 troops and personnel deployed in 12 missions, is the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations as of October 31, 2022, behind Bangladesh (7,017).