India’s Army Chief to attend inauguration UN peacekeeping meet

India’s Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag will attend the inaugural edition of United Nation (UN) conference on peace making operations, which will bring together the defence chiefs of UN member states from around the world.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon will inaugurate the first ‘Chiefs of Defence Conference’ on March 27, organised by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support. India is the largest contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping operations. India has contributed more than 180,000 peacekeepers in 44 UN peacekeeping missions so far and has lost 158 of its soldiers in these missions, the highest by any country serving in the line of duty in the organisation.

Pakistan is the second largest contributor of troops to the United Nations. Pakistan’s Army Chief General Raheel Sharif was originally scheduled to participate in the conference but now Islamabad will be represented by its corps commanders.

The conference will focus on challenges and opportunities for mission support in peacekeeping operations and performance challenges in the current security environment. The defence chiefs from several countries will hold talks with Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations Herve Ladsous and Under Secretary General for Field Support Atul Khare.

Khare, a senior Indian diplomat, was appointed by the UN Chief as head of the UN Department of Field Support (DFS), making him one of the highest ranking Indian officials in the UN system.

Several senior UN peacekeeping officials from across the globe, including Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations Lt Gen Maqsood Ahmed from Pakistan, will attend the conference.

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