Context: India has been re-elected to the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) for 2025–2026. As a founding member and major contributor to UN Peacekeeping, India continues to play a key role in peacebuilding efforts.
About PCB:
- The PBC is an advisory body that supports peace efforts in conflict-affected countries.
- It was established by the UN General Assembly and Security Council.
- It is composed of 31 Member States, elected from the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the Economic and Social Council.
- It brings together key actors to propose strategies for post-conflict recovery, focusing on reconstruction, institution-building, and sustainable development.
- The commission also works to improve coordination among international actors, develop best practices, and ensure predictable financing for early recovery.
- Key mandates of PCB:
- Coordinate Resources and Strategies: Bring together all relevant actors to propose integrated strategies for post-conflict recovery and peacebuilding.
- Reconstruction and Development: Focus on rebuilding and institution-building efforts to support sustainable development after conflicts.
- Improve Coordination: Provide recommendations to improve coordination within and outside the UN, develop best practices, and ensure predictable financing for early recovery.
- Sustaining Peace: Bring sustained international attention to peacebuilding, and offer political support to countries affected by conflict, with their consent.
- Integrated Approach: Promote an approach that links security, development, and human rights as interrelated and mutually reinforcing.
- Bridging Role: Act as a platform to connect UN bodies, Member States, national authorities, civil society, and other stakeholders to improve coordination and share good practices in peacebuilding.
- India is one of the largest contributors of personnel to U.N. Peacekeeping.
- India currently deploys approximately 6,000 military and police personnel to various UN peacekeeping missions, including in Abyei, the Central African Republic, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lebanon, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan, and Western Sahara.
- Over 180 Indian peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives in service, the highest number from any troop-contributing nation.