In New Delhi, at a press conference during a gathering of army chiefs, Vishwesh Negi, a senior Indian defense ministry official, responded to a question regarding the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping deployment plans for Gaza and Ukraine. Vishwesh Negi stated clearly that India will not deploy any troops outside of the United Nations (UN) mandate, quoted as saying deployment would require UN Security Council clearance.
India would need to jump through hoops to receive UNSC clearance
For it to be possible for any United Nations member state (in this case, India) to send troops into another sovereign state under a peacekeeping operation, that country will need UN Security Council (UNSC) authorization to ensure that the actions taken are legal according to international law. The following are general reasons why UNSC clearance for the deployment of foreign troops is difficult:
- P5 veto power: Any of the 5 permanent members (U.S., Russia, China, U.K., France) can use veto power at any point, blocking involvement immediately.
- National interests: The P5 members often have opposing political, financial, and strategic interests, each prioritizing its own agenda.
- Geopolitical rivalries: Long-term rivalries, such as between the United States of America and Russia or China and Western powers, can influence voting.
- Sovereignty concerns: Some countries may oppose the deployment of troops if it infringes on either state’s sovereignty
- Regional alliances: UNSC members may attempt to block resolutions to protect allies or regional partners
- Mandate and operational challenges: The design of clear mandates, financial backing, and coordination often creates challenges in discussion.
Russia resists UN peacekeeping deployment to Ukraine
A consensus from the P5 is unlikely in the situations in both Gaza and Ukraine. When looking at Ukraine in particular, it is clear that a P5 consensus will be impossible due to Russia’s position as part of the P5. This means that any UN peacekeeping deployment will be a direct opposing threat to Russia, and thus, Russia will veto the operation. India is then blocked from deploying aid to Ukraine as the country’s authorities have already made clear that they would not act without UNSC clearance. The conflicting decisions within the UNSC and the P5, particularly, the council is at a standstill, with new authorizations regarding peacekeeping becoming more and more difficult.
Israel and U.S. block UN peacekeeping involvement in Gaza
When looking at the possibility of India sending help to Gaza for the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict, this is also unlikely. Despite the ceasefires and discussions, the conflict continues. Any proposed deployment in Gaza is further complicated by the region’s volatile political and security landscape. Part of the UN’s P5, the United States of America (U.S) is also a strong ally of Israel. Due to the longstanding alliance, the U.S. is unlikely to endorse a Gaza peacekeeping mission and would use its P5 status to veto any mission seeking to limit Israel’s military operations.
Despite the plausibility that the remaining P5 members (Russia, China, U.K., and France) could support the mission, the nations cannot override the veto of another P5 member state. Again, preventing India from deploying assistance. This can be seen in recent discussions between Israel, U.S., and France. The other P5 member states may abstain or support the requests for UN peacekeeping deployment, but cannot override the veto. Unfortunately, any contribution and assistance to Gaza from India is fully dependent on full UNSC clearance.
India has emphasized that it is a major contributor to existing UN peacekeeping missions and holds a good reputation for participating in similar issues, but will not send troops to Gaza without clearance. Internationally, India has been criticized for its role in the global crisis response, but the country refuses to act outside of multilateral authorizations. This highlights India’s insistence on acting strictly within international law.