United Nations: India has emphasized that UN peacekeeping missions can only achieve their intended goals if the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) undergoes urgent reforms to reflect present-day geopolitical realities.

Addressing the Council’s open debate on peacekeeping, convened by South Korea as the current president, India’s Permanent Representative P. Harish said the effectiveness of peacekeeping is closely tied to the legitimacy and structure of the UNSC, which must expand both permanent and non-permanent membership categories.

Harish pointed out that major contributors to UN peacekeeping, including India—the largest troop contributor—remain excluded from permanent membership, even though they play a critical role in implementing mandates. He stressed the need for a member state-driven process of wide-ranging consultations to build consensus on reforms. Troop and police-contributing countries must be fully engaged in shaping decisions, he added.

Highlighting the challenges peacekeeping operations face, Harish said they are increasingly confronted by political, operational, and technological complexities.

He urged a return to the “core principles of UN peacekeeping,” with mandates that are clear, realistic, and focused. According to him, peace missions are more successful when supported by broader political processes and clearly envisioned outcomes.

Expressing concern over funding uncertainties—exacerbated by US President Donald Trump’s threats to cut or eliminate Washington’s 25 per cent contribution to the peacekeeping budget—Harish insisted that mandates should be aligned with available resources.

He also called for outdated missions to be withdrawn and liquidated, indirectly alluding to the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, which New Delhi considers obsolete.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix echoed these views, stating that peacekeeping is not meant to be indefinite and requires prioritised mandates, political engagement, and sustained support.

Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, added that peacekeeping is often deployed in volatile settings, including civil wars.

In such contexts, she said, missions should focus on limited but vital objectives such as preventing escalation, securing ceasefires, and supporting fragile peace processes.