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Over 550 Indian peacekeepers, including 53 women, serving with the United Nations Mission successful South Sudan (UNMISS) were honoured for their dedication and committedness to protecting civilians and supporting peacebuilding efforts successful the conflict-affected country.
A full of 565 Indian Blue Helmets and 464 Rwandan peacekeepers received the UN Medal of Honour astatine a ceremonial successful South Sudan's Malakal city, UNMISS said connected Monday (June 1, 2026).
There were 53 women among the 565 Indian Blue Helmets, it said. Blue Helmets refers to subject personnel, constabulary officers and civilian experts serving nether the operational bid of the United Nations peacekeeping forces.
The peacekeepers were recognised for their efforts successful "protecting civilians done patrols, assemblage engagement, veterinary camps, women's self-defence training, combating sex violence, and improving humanitarian access”, the UN assemblage said.
UN Mission successful South Sudan Force Commander Major-General Junhui Wu said each medal awarded celebrates the "courage and resilience of our brave peacekeepers, who show the highest standards of discipline, operational effectiveness, and teamwork successful a challenging environment".
Reacting to the honour, the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations congratulated the Indian contingent.
Congratulations to the Indian peacekeepers, including 53 women, who person been awarded the @UN Medal of Honor by @unmissmedia.
Indian Blue Helmets person consistently upheld the highest standards of professionalism successful each their spheres of operation. https://t.co/fvboQJAKgs
“Indian Blue Helmets person consistently upheld the highest standards of professionalism successful each their spheres of operation,” the ngo said successful a societal media post.
India is the 2nd largest contributor of uniformed unit to UN peacekeeping operations, aft Nepal.
It presently contributes much than 4,200 subject and constabulary personnel, including 155 women, crossed missions successful Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan and Western Sahara.
Nearly 180 Indian peacekeepers person mislaid their lives successful the enactment of duty, the highest fig among troop-contributing countries.
Last week, connected the juncture of the International Day of UN Peacekeepers, Lance Havildar Harbhajan Singh, who served with the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission successful the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), and Naib Subedar Sujit Kumar Pradhan, who served with UNMISS, were posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjold Medal for their sacrifice successful the enactment of duty.
The Dag Hammarskjold Medal is the highest authoritative honour awarded by the United Nations. It is fixed posthumously to military, police, and civilian unit who person made the eventual sacrifice portion serving successful UN peacekeeping operations. In different designation for India, Major Abhilasha Barak was named the recipient of the 2025 Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award.
Serving with the UN Interim Force successful Lebanon (UNIFIL), Ms. Barak was honoured for her outreach enactment with women and girls during her deployment successful the West Asian nation.
Ms. Barak is serving with the Indian Battalion arsenic Commander of the Female Engagement Team successful UNIFIL and is besides the archetypal pistillate combat chopper aviator successful the Indian Army.
