The Blue Beret Indians

The inscription on the oak paneling of the Chetwode Hall at the Indian Military Academy says -

The safety, honour and welfare of your country come first, always and every time. 

The honour, welfare and comfort of the men you command come next.

 Your own ease, comfort and safety come last, always and every time.

 

If one needed a modern case study to comprehend this deep-rooted directive of Field Marshal Philip Walhouse Chetwode, then there is no better example than the gallant act of our soldiers in South Sudan. Five Indian brave hearts attained there martyrdom, fighting on a foreign soil with foreign rebels on April 9^th, while being deployed as part of the United Nations Peacekeepers. Four others are still battling for their lives, and may be a few are missing.

Here is what features on a National Daily - The killings would have been much worse had it not been for the bravery of these soldiers. I think they ought to feel very proud of what they have done even though they are all devastated by the loss of the five UN peacekeepers. Read here..

India is a major contributor to UN peacekeeping force and as on date has about ten thousand soldiers deployed in remote parts of the globe. Till date approximately 150 soldiers have died in UN missions alone, not to mention the 1200 who sacrificed their lives in IPKF, Sri Lanka.

The mandates of the peacekeeping forces in different countries have been clearly spelt out by the UN Security Council, and in most cases it is reduced to “protection of civilians”. The soldiers deployed to stabilize an armed rebellion have been equipped with big words and their rights to open fire have been essentially reduced to self defense alone. However, the intent of this write up is not to question the mandate or generate an argument against the rules of engagement specified by the UN.

The martyrs have not only kept the honour of the Tri Colour, but have also etched a name for themselves in the annals of South Sudan. The amount of respect that Indian soldiers command in such international and multi-national environments undeniably proves their professionalism, fortitude and ability to act under uncertain circumstances. Not only men but the women peacekeepers have also earned equal accolades in all fields (read an account here).

Our soldiers have been actively involved in saving the lives of the bereaved citizens of these troubled countries who are often caught between two warring factions. Indian Peacekeepers have an excellent rapport among the common populace and have been assisting the local governments in nation building by undertaking numerous missions of support, such as building schools, hospitals, rehabilitation of internally displaced people, medical camps etc.

The moral and ethics of our soldiers has no parallel when compared to other Armies, and the same has been commended on various occasions by the governments of the host nations.

In the end we leave you with a story of Captain Raj Mohindra, which he has narrated in his article, when he was in Italy in 1967.. 

        “The soldiers from all armies except the Indian Army indulged in rape, molestation and plunder. One of the elderly ladies present told us how she was being chased by two Allied soldiers when an Indian soldier intervened and protected her. He told them not to harm her because she was his sister. In another instance a posse of Indian soldiers voluntarily guarded an apartment building and prevented soldiers of the other Allied armies from entering it. There were numerous stories of heroism like this. These marvelous episodes bore testimony to the ethical standards and professionalism of the Indian Army”.

 We, at The Thoughtful Indian salute our heros’ 

Jai Hind