ADDRESS BY THE HON’BLE PRESIDENT OF INDIA SMT. DROUPADI MURMU ON THE OCCASION OF CALL ON BY CHIEFS/VICE-CHIEFS OF ARMY ALONG WITH SPOUSES FROM 32 FRIENDLY NATIONS PARTICIPATING THE ARMY CHIEFS’ CONCLAVE FOR UNITED NATIONS TROOP CONTRIBUTING COUNTRIES

I extend a very warm welcome to each one of you to India. As the largest democracy, India firmly believes in multilateralism and adherence to principles of the United Nations Charter. This special occasion brings together Peace-keepers of the United Nations. Your presence here reaffirms our shared commitment to world peace. I have been briefed that so far, United Nations peace-keepers have been deployed in 71 different missions across the globe. I have been also informed that as of now, nearly 68,000 personnel are serving across eleven United Nations peace-keeping operations. Of these, over 90 percent are uniformed personnel. These missions share the purpose of mitigating the suffering of innocent people, particularly women, children and elderly. UN Peace-keepers deployed in remote and far-flung corners of the world have demonstrated exemplary courage and compassion.

India is proud to be a steadfast contributor to UN Peace-keeping since its inception. Our Peace-keepers have served with distinction in some of the most challenging operations across the globe.

In the journey of peace-keeping, India has made appreciable strides in gender inclusion. Women peace-keepers have empowered local communities and fostered trust. Our combat engineers, medical teams and police have also done invaluable work of providing critical life sustaining services and other support facilities.

I am glad to note that through years of participation in peace-keeping operations, Indian Peace-keepers have not only upheld the United Nations Mandate and the ideals enshrined therein but have also carved a special place for themselves. They have earned goodwill among the people they serve in strife-torn areas.

You are all proud representatives of the best values and the ethos of your respective countries. You also bring together a wealth of experience, expertise, and resolve of your nations towards sustainable peace and prosperity. I am happy to know that discussions and deliberations during this event have brought out relevant and workable ideas. I am hopeful that the outcome of this conclave will help address the challenges faced by our peace- keepers.

As nations that contribute valiant women and men to the noble cause of peace-keeping, we should collectively strive for frameworks that encourage a stronger voice for troop contributing countries. We should also work towards more active engagement with local stakeholders. This will help create an environment in which peace is not enforced but nurtured through participative processes.

On behalf of the people of India, I once again extend my hearty welcome to you. I praise you for your commitment, sacrifice, and service to humanity. I salute the peace-keeping soldiers who have braved danger far from home not for conquest, but for compassion.

I am sure that the discussions on leveraging technology will lead to new possibilities in peace-keeping operations. Technology can be an effective tool to amplify our shared commitment to humanity. I am sure that this conclave and other events with a similar sense of purpose and focus will promote new ideas, deeper cooperation, and enduring friendships. Let us renew our pledge to the UN Charter, not just as an obligation, but as a promise for keeping future generations secure. Together as custodians of peace, let us enable a world where every child sleeps in safety, every community thrives in harmony and conflicts are relegated to the pages of history.

Thank you.
Jai Hind!