 In nearly 50 conflict zones around the world, more than one and a half billion people live under the threat of violence. In many of these places, the primary enforcers of order are not police officers or government soldiers, but the blue-helmeted troops of the United Nations. India has been at the forefront of peacekeeping right from 1950 when it supplied medical personnel and troops to the UN Repatriation Commission in Korea. Since then, India has participated in 71 missions and contributed more than 240,000 troops, the largest number from any country. 268 Indian peacekeepers have paid the ultimate price while serving with the United Nations, the highest number from any troop contributing country. India has, if I'm correct, 6400 peacekeepers today in service. India has been an example of commitment to the United Nations Charter, to the values of the UN and with the sacrifice of the women and men to peacekeeping. Currently, India has deployed in eight out of 13 peacekeeping missions that include Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Golan Heights, Israel and Syria, Middle East, Abbey Eye, Western Sahara, Cyprus and Lebanon. The UN Entering Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was established in 1978 in response to a surge in violence on the border between Israel and Lebanon. India joined UNIFIL as a troop contributing country 20 years later in 1998. The area in which the INBAD is deployed is strategically important, it is sensitive and it is challenging. It is very important because we are at the tri-junction of three countries, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Sensitive because the blue line between the two countries, Israel and Lebanon, is nor it is demarcated on the ground and challenging because you must have seen the kind of terrain that we operate in, it is rugged and the climate conditions are harsh. The Indian battalion in Lebanon is popular with the locals because of its outrage activities. We have no health facilities in this area, so once a week there is a big queue here to see the doctors. The Indians go out of their way by imparting skills, sharing knowledge, protecting the community. They are entrusted in our future and that is why they have our trust. In 2007, India became the first country to deploy a first-ever all-female force that helped to bring peace in Liberia in the wake of that country's brutal civil war. The contribution you have made to inspiring Liberian women, to imparting them the spirit of professionalism, to encourage them to join those entities, those operations that protect the nation, for that we will always be grateful. Here in oneness, Indians are deployed in very difficult areas, they are very challenging, backward areas, conflict prone, where women are subjected to oppression, sexual violence. There is danger, yes, they operate basically in the greater upper-nile area of South Sudan. With 2,400 peacekeepers that include two infantry battalions, an engineering company, a petroleum platoon, a level 2 hospital and a signal detachment, Indians are in the toughest zones. In early 2019, Indians were entrusted to establish a temporary base in Kodok, the only UN presence along the western bank of the Nile. The enemies decided to put on ground in Kodok, the invads, there was also an additional security and the population kept on increasing. Approximately 3 to 4 snakes are being encountered every day. The peacekeeping of the past were based in, let's say, ceasefire, buffer zones, where the peacekeepers were extremely respected. This is not happening in this mission. This mission, the peacekeeper that is deployed here, he must be prepared to fight. Because of the legacy of Rwandan genocide, because of the abundance of these mineral resources which is there in my area, I have got these armed groups which are roughly about 33 to 34 percent which are active in my area of responsibility. I have the maximum number of human rights violations in my area. With more than 2,600 troops on the ground, India is one of the biggest contingents in the biggest and most challenging peacekeeping mission under the UN flag. My name is Captain Tanvi and we are going to be here for at least 13-14 months. We will be coming regularly. The women generally come to us with problems like they do not have portable drinking water and when they have to go to far off water points, they face sexual harassment and sexual violence at hands of armed groups and their expectation is that we increase our patrols, we increase our presence because they feel really protected and in part as well. Indian troops by nature are a people's army and what a people's army and those who are involved in that do is that they know how to reach out to people. It enables better safety and security of the people. So that's one critical skill of engaging with people that many other troops may not have.