WOMEN IN PEACEKEEPING: India's Soft Power in Global Diplomacy

The Women Peacekeepers have broken the stereotypes, shattered barriers, and risen above challenges to become leaders and protectors of their nation and also in the communities, where they have been engaged in for peacekeeping- Lt. Gen. N.S. Raja Subramani, Vice Chief of Army Staff

- By Dr. Ravi Shankar Raj

Introduction

India’s commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations is a core part of India’s foreign policy and a tool of soft power diplomacy. India has over the decades shown its unwavering commitment to global peace, contributing more than 290,000 troops in 50 UN missions. This participation not only underscores India’s commitment to global peace but also functions as a tool of India’s soft power that projects it as a responsible and humanitarian global leader. However, in this context, the growing deployment of Indian women peacekeepers serves as an especially potent narrative of India’s propensity for its progressive values, which establishes India’s stance on gender equality, security and a more inclusive approach to conflict resolution. Indian Women Peacekeepers have been transforming conflict zones by providing security, building trust and serving as role models for local women and children. During the recently concluded Conference on Women Peacekeepers of the Global South, held in New Delhi at Manekshaw Centre on February 24 and 25, India reaffirmed its leadership in the promotion of gender inclusivity in peace operations. The conference brought together women peacekeepers from 35 Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and gave the opportunity to discuss the emerging challenges that peacekeeping involves as well as strategies that should be employed to better utilize women’s contributions to conflict zones through the use of modern technology. This move, combined with India’s recurrent role of deploying women in UN peacekeeping, shows India’s use of peacekeeping as a soft power means to pursue its international diplomatic and strategic interests.

UN Peacekeeping as India’s Soft Power Strategy