India and the U.S. will jointly train troops from African countries in the entire gamut of the United Nations Peace Keeping (UNPK) operations, in yet another joint effort as part of the growing bilateral relations.
The three-week programme will be undertaken from July 25 to August 12 in New Delhi. It will be jointly undertaken by India’s Centre for United Nations Peace Keeping (CUNPK) and the Global Peace Operations Initiative of the US.
“It is a pilot project between India, the U.S. and Africa. It is a three dimensional one concerning India’s long standing ties with Africa, growing India-U.S. cooperation and India’s commitment to peacekeeping,” a government official told The Hindu .
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced at the United Nations General Assembly last year as well as at the African Union summit recently that India would step up training for troops from African countries. This programme was a follow up to that, the official said.
Given India’s limited capacities it was decided to partner with another country, and a decision was taken to partner with the U.S., he said.
21-day programme
The countries chosen are those African nations contributing maximum troops to the U.N. and the 21-day training programme has been modelled on the lines of the U.N.
There are about 40 officers from eight counties and a contingent from the African Union.
The instructors mostly from India and some from the U.S. will train officers from African countries as trainers who in turn would train soldiers back home in their respective countries.
“Since India is one of the largest troop contributing nations to the U.N., there was request from various nations to impart training,” one Army officer stated and added that it was an “opportunity to expand our relations with African nations with whom we already have long cultural relations”.
India has so far as participated in 42 missions and sent about 1,80,000 personnel. As on date there are more than 8,000 soldiers donning the blue helmet in various missions. The U.S. on the other hand has never contributed ground troops but has been the major source of funds for the U.N. peace keeping missions.
