Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday indirectly referred to Pakistan as he said that while some countries were openly breaking international rules, India had always supported the idea of a global order built on respect for law and fairness.

Speaking at the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries Chiefs Conclave in Delhi, Rajnath said that India had always stood firmly with the United Nations in maintaining global peace and security. He added that India also believed in reforming international systems that were now “outdated.”

“Nowadays, some nations are openly violating the international rules, some are trying to undermine it, while some want to create their own rules and dominate the next century. In all this, India, while advocating for the reformation of outdated international structures, stands strong in upholding the international rules-based order,” said Rajnath.

Earlier this year, Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians in an attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. In response, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 and struck terrorist locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. When Pakistan retaliated with attacks on India, the Indian forces targeted Pakistan’s airbases, air defence systems, and other military sites over the next four days. On May 10, Pakistan requested a ceasefire, which India accepted.

Drawing a comparison between India and countries like Pakistan, Rajnath said, “For India, peacekeeping has never been an act of choice but an article of faith. From the very dawn of our independence, India has stood firm with the United Nations in its mission to maintain international peace and security.”

Highlighting India’s long history of participation in peacekeeping, he said that Indian soldiers and officers had served across continents under the UN flag. Rajnath called peacekeeping a “shared responsibility” of the world and said it reminded everyone that, beyond all wars and violence, humanity must always come first.

He said that for people suffering from war and deprivation, the sight of the Blue Helmets gave hope and reassurance that the world had not forgotten them.

Speaking about India’s contributions, Rajnath said, “Over the decades, nearly 290,000 Indian personnel have served in more than 50 UN peacekeeping missions, earning global respect for professionalism, courage and compassion. From the Congo and Korea to South Sudan and Lebanon, our soldiers, police and medical professionals have stood shoulder to shoulder with the international community to protect the vulnerable and rebuild societies.

“Our contribution has not been without sacrifice. More than 180 Indian peacekeepers have laid down their lives under the UN flag. Their courage and selflessness are inscribed in the collective conscience of humankind.”

Rajnath also pointed out that peacekeeping operations sometimes failed to achieve their purpose because of late deployment, poor infrastructure, and limited authority to tackle the root causes of conflict. He warned that unless these issues were addressed, peace efforts risked turning into temporary fixes rather than long-term solutions to the social and economic inequalities driving many of these wars.