210 Indian Peacekeepers Awarded UN Medal for Exceptional Service in South Sudan

Exam-focused facts from the 18 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

On August 17, 2026, 210 Indian peacekeepers deployed with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) were awarded the UN Medal for exceptional service in Juba.
The awarded contingent included 6 women and 7 Staff Officers.
India is the second-largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping, with more than 4,200 military and police personnel, including 155 women, deployed across multiple UN peace operations.
As of April 2026, India was the top troop contributor to UNMISS, with 1,775 Indian military personnel deployed with the mission.