Army deploys its largest contingent of women peacekeepers in Sudan

The Indian Army on Friday deployed its largest contingent of all-women peacekeepers in Sudan’s disputed region of Abyei, where they will provide relief and assistance to women and children, and perform security-related tasks as a part of the United Nations Interim Security Force (UNISFA), officials familiar with the matter said.

The platoon consisting of 27 women is part of an Indian Army battalion that has moved to Abyei, an area claimed by Sudan and South Sudan, said one of the officials cited above. This represents India’s largest single unit of women peacekeepers in a UN Mission since 2007 when the country deployed the first-ever all women’s police contingent in Liberia – it had 103 women.

“The Indian contingent, comprising two officers and 25 other ranks, will form part of an engagement platoon and specialise in community outreach, though they will be performing extensive security-related tasks as well,” the Permanent Mission of India to the UN said in a statement.

Reacting to the development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “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”.

To be sure, the army has deployed women officers and soldiers in UN missions in smaller numbers earlier too, including personnel below officer rank from the Corps of Military Police.

Their presence will be especially welcome in Abyei, where a recent spurt in violence has triggered a spate of challenging humanitarian concerns for women and children in the conflict zone, the statement added.

“It (the Abyei deployment) will also herald India’s intent of significantly increasing the number of Indian women in peacekeeping contingents,” said the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, adding that women peacekeepers are highly regarded for their ability to reach out to women and children in local populations, especially victims of sexual violence in conflict zones.

“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,” external affairs minister S Jaishankar wrote on Twitter.

India has a long history of deploying troops in UN missions. For instance, the first Indian blue berets (the colour used on UN duty) served in the Congo from 1960 to 1965. It is the only UN mission where an Indian soldier, Captain GS Salaria, was awarded the Param Vir Chakra, the country’s highest wartime military honour. He died in 1961, trying to save the Katanga province from falling to rebels.