Over 550 Indian Peacekeepers in South Sudan Receive UN Medal of Honour
United Nations: More than 550 Indian peacekeepers, including 53 women, serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were honored for their dedication and commitment to protecting civilians and supporting peacebuilding efforts in the conflict-affected country.
A total of 565 Blue Helmet Indian and 464 Rwandan peacekeepers received the UN Medal of Honor at a ceremony in Malakal, South Sudan, UNMISS said on Monday.
It was stated that 53 of the 565 Blue Helmet Indian group were women.
Blue Helmets refer to military personnel, police officers and civilian experts who serve under the operational command of United Nations peacekeeping forces.
The UN body said peacekeepers were recognized for their efforts “to protect civilians through patrols, community engagement, veterinary camps, women’s self-defense training, combating gender violence and improving humanitarian access.”
Major General Junhui Wu, Force Commander of the UN Mission in South Sudan, said each medal awarded celebrates “the courage and resilience of our brave peacekeepers who demonstrated the highest standards of discipline, operational effectiveness and teamwork in a challenging environment.”
Reacting to this honour, India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations congratulated the Indian contingent.
“India Blue Helmets have consistently upheld the highest standards of professionalism in all areas of activity,” the mission said in a social media post.
After Nepal, India is the second country that provides the highest number of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations.
It currently contributes more than 4,200 military and police personnel, including 155 women, to missions in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
Approximately 180 Indian peacekeepers lost their lives in the line of duty; This is the highest number among troop-contributing countries.
Last week, on the occasion of International UN Peacekeepers Day, Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh, serving with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan, serving with UNMISS, were posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their sacrifices in the line of duty.
The Dag Hammarskjold Medal is the highest official honor awarded by the United Nations. It is awarded posthumously to military, police and civilian personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in UN peacekeeping operations.
In another recognition from India, Major Abhilasha Barak was named the recipient of the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
Barak, who served with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), was honored for her outreach work for women and girls while serving in the West Asian country.
Barak serves in the India Battalion as the Commander of the Women’s Engagement Team in UNIFIL and is also the first woman combat helicopter pilot in the Indian Army.
