India co-chaired a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, reaffirming its strong commitment to justice for UN personnel facing violence in conflict zones.

India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, highlighted the urgency of holding perpetrators accountable and protecting those serving under the UN flag. “Accountability is not only a legal obligation—it is a strategic necessity to strengthen international peacekeeping,” he said. “Justice for peacekeepers enhances their safety and enables them to fulfil their mission.”

The meeting built on the foundation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2589, which India championed in 2021, and continued the momentum from the launch of the GoF during India’s presidency of the Security Council in December 2022.

Ambassador Harish noted that over 1,000 UN personnel have lost their lives in malicious attacks since 1948, with hundreds more wounded. He stressed that the lack of accountability emboldens attackers and weakens the credibility of UN peacekeeping missions.

India, the largest cumulative troop-contributing country to the UN, has deployed more than 300,000 peacekeepers over the last seven decades. It has also borne heavy losses, with 182 Indian peacekeepers making the ultimate sacrifice.

The Group of Friends reaffirmed its collective responsibility to ensure justice for peacekeepers and to strengthen mechanisms that combat impunity. The meeting underscored that protecting peacekeepers is crucial to the success and legitimacy of UN peace operations worldwide.