Indian peacekeepers serving in many battlefields around the world

- Under the flag of the United Nations

- Hotline-Bhalchandra Jani

- Six Indian peacekeepers were honored with a United Nations Medal for their commitment and dedicated services in establishing peace.

- More than 8000 Indian soldiers are also amazing peacekeepers than the enemy's teeth are sour

Ko e also the army is loyal to its commander, king or country. Every young man involved in the war takes an oath to protect the motherland. But the United Nations, established with the intention of cultivating the liberal spirit of the Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is one family), maintains an army that has neither a specific commander nor a set of rules. Where can it be? The disciplined army has a well-organized structure, from a sepoy to a general or a field marshal.

However, it must be noted that the importance of this peacekeeping force cannot be underestimated. To date, the United Nations (UN) has a peacekeeping force of 1,00611 troops. Out of which more than 2000 are going to India. The UN blue-helmeted sentinels patrol Somalia, Bosnia, Saba, Cambodia, Lebanon, Cyprus, El-Salvador, Kuwait, Iraq, the Gaza Strip near Israel on the Indo-Pakistan border.

It is said that peace is more difficult than war. Especially on a foreign land where you are not familiar with the local language and culture. Yet Indian soldiers have worked to bring peace and that too with considerable confidence and peace of mind.

A recent report on the UN Mission in South Sudan's (UNMIS) website states that South Sudan, the world's youngest country, has been awarded the United Nations Medal of Merit by six Indian peacekeepers for their commitment and dedicated service to establishing lasting peace in the country. Was done.

The task of establishing peace under the auspices of the United Nations is often challenging for Indian troops. So many times it was enjoyable. Be it the cold peninsula of Korea or the war-torn regions of Somalia or the scorching deserts of Sierra Leone, Central America, Africa and Europe.

Indian soldiers serving under the banner of the United Nations as part of the peacekeeping mission call the experience memorable, although it is equally hopeful, frustrating and successful. Yet the experience that we Indians can be proud of is real.

"You are part of a larger team and the functions and duties of each unit are determined," said Colonel Gurmeet Kanwal, an observer at the 19th UN Transition Assistance Group in Namibia. Each team has to take instructions from the commander while the team commander has to take orders from the field or mission commander.

For the first few days, Kanwal had some confusing moments. However, Namibia's UN mission was carried out on schedule.

As many as 2,000 Indians boarded a Delhi-bound winter night last December. Looking at the nylon bags on their shoulders and the luggage they brought with them, it seems that they are not soldiers but travelers who have returned from shopping abroad. His belongings included a TV, cellphone, camera, watches and gold jewelry. The troops returned to India after serving in the peacekeeping force in Somalia on behalf of the United Nations. The soldiers were happy that they were able to do a better job in peacekeeping than the soldiers of other countries.

Indian soldiers in Somalia would have received about two lakh rupees in retirement for one year and three months of service, half of which has been saved by most of the soldiers and during this period their salaries in India have been credited to the profits!

Most of the people come from small villages, so the amount of two lakh is considered very big. Some of the soldiers returning from Somalia have bought land and some have built houses. So someone has also installed vehicles. Most of the soldiers of the Vanbihar Regiment who returned from Somalia have bought motorcycles or scooters. Lance hero Vishnudev Rai sent Rs 5,000 to his family. Of which he has purchased four vigha of land. There is still Rs 5,000 in Vishnu's account.

Nayak Butasingh went to Cambodia as a member of the peacekeeping force, where he saved Rs 1.5 lakh from his earnings. Upon his return from Cambodia, he retired and spent his savings in the United States. Going to America now he drives a taxi. I am happy that most of the soldiers who returned to Somalia got to go abroad.

Nayak Bajrangbali Shahu says, "Apart from that, where could we go abroad?" A jawan who goes abroad for such work usually gets Rs 5,000 per month, while a junior commissioned officer gets Rs 50,000 per month and an officer gets Rs 5,000 per month. Obviously soldiers can make good savings out of this. No tax is levied on this amount. However, military officials do not want to give too much importance to money in peacekeeping operations. Officials believe that such an operation gives Indian troops the opportunity to work with the world's modern armies in an international situation.

"We are not going to do business or hire," said Brigadier Partha Sen, head of the peacekeeping unit at the military headquarters. We benefit from joining the peacekeeping force, but the real purpose behind it is to gain experience and enhance the pride of the country. "This compares itself to France, the United States and thirty-three other countries, and they firmly believe that they are in no way inferior to other countries. This has boosted their confidence many times over.

Brigadier Bhagat says he has also benefited from the opportunity to work with Pakistanis and the impression that Indians are superior has become stronger. There is no doubt that due to peacekeeping operations, our troops are introduced to modern techniques of warfare.

In Somalia, the Vanbihar Regiment was given a guard of 20,000 square kilometers, which gave them a lot of experience. In addition, infantrymen handled air and sea transport in Somalia. In Somalia, different types and better bulletproof trucks were seen than the ones used by Indian soldiers. Jawano has brought pictures of him which will now be given to the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO). This will help the DRDO in research related to weapons. India is becoming more active in peacekeeping operations. The fact is that this has brightened India's image.

Somalia is a Muslim nation, yet Indian troops were more popular among the locals than Pakistani troops. Due to the tolerant attitude of the Indian troops, India will be able to better present its position on the Kashmir issue. After the US military chief visited Somalia last year and saw India's performance, he expressed the desire for the two countries to work together in peacekeeping operations and in times of natural disasters.

Other countries have also shown interest in developing military ties with India. Last February, Britain hosted a conference on peacekeeping forces, to which Indian officials were invited to attend. Indian officials have participated in similar conferences in Australia and Singapore in the past.

Bosnia-Lieutenant General Satish Nambiar, who has served in Herzegovina, firmly believes that India should continue to participate in UN peacekeeping programs. "We must prove that our country is an important and responsible country and that we are committed to world peace," he said.

As India realizes that sending troops to peacekeeping operations brings economic benefits, prestige and experience, India's contribution to such operations has increased. Initially, the Indian Army was reluctant to send troops abroad in this manner, but once it was sent to Pakistan and praised, India also started sending troops. Today, India ranks third in providing peacekeeping services to the United Nations, after Pakistan and France. India has troops ready to match the UN peacekeeping force.

One of the reasons why the Indian contingent can do well is that the Indians know the English language, there are good training institutes in India and the recruitment of soldiers and officers is done through rigorous scrutiny.

However, the most important reason is that Indian soldiers have a good experience of fighting in situations like civil war. Indian forces can carry out effective operations against loopholes by setting up raids and mines.

"We have faced a similar situation in our country, so we know how to deal with looting activities," said Col. AN Bahugana, head of the Indian contingent in Colombia. Like Pakistani soldiers, Indian soldiers are also accustomed to hardships. However the risk in this operation is the same.

"There are so many mines in the area that it is estimated to take 20 years to remove them," said Colonel Surendra Nath, who has served as an observer in the Khmer Rouge rebel-held area on the Thai-Cambodian border. In addition to such mines and covert attacks, there is now a threat of AIDS.

Six of the Indian troops who returned from Cambodia a few years ago were infected with HIV. When the Gurkha contingent left for Rwanda in December 2015, Lieutenant General Kevin D'Souza gave two exhortations to the soldiers. One is to do one's duty and the other is to beware of AIDS. Of course, the risk to life is to stay in the military forever. But right now they are only thinking of the benefits of going to the military. 'Somalia's success has made Sri Lanka's failure forgotten.

However, the situation in Sri Lanka was different. The Indian team that went to Sri Lanka did not experience a single war or war-like situation after 191. There are 3 big and small battles going on in the world today and there is a need for a UN peacekeeping force in the future as well. Indians are ready to take advantage of this situation.

This feeling and image made Indians different from others. The Indians did not allow it to be drafted. ' Recalling this, an army doctor serving in Angola noted that his letters of commendation and awards were proof of that.

Recalling how the Indian and Pakistani officials in Angola got along well with each other, the doctor added that Kashmir was the only issue between the two countries. In his document on India's experience in peacekeeping, Major General Arjun Ray wrote that India's role as a peacekeeper in various areas has been totally closed to the Indian Army due to its counter-terrorism operations. There are also training centers where they receive special training before going on a military mission. "His role as a UN observer in the international community is a matter of prestige. You can only be selected for such a job if you are more capable than ordinary people. ' This was stated by Major RS Rajpurohit before leaving for Sierra Leone.

"We are going there to make peace," said a Light Infantry soldier accompanying him to Sierra Leone, without fearing that some of his comrades were being held hostage. We have to embrace the warring groups that it is not in their interest to struggle with Ekmak and when there is also a language problem ... we will use English to explain them. However, not all peacekeeping operations end well. Some do not even live to tell the story of their bravery. Fifty thousand soldiers have served as peacekeepers under the auspices of the United Nations in the last five decades, and 31 of them have sacrificed their lives.

Captain GS Salaria was posthumously awarded the Paramvir Chakra for his unparalleled bravery in the Congo.

The names of peacekeeping field commanders like General Thimmayya, Major General SP Thorat, Lt. Gen. PS Gyani and Lt. Gen. Satish Nambiar are taken at the international level.