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Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian, former Force Commander in the Â鶹APP Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and Director of the Office for Strategic Partnerships in the Department of Peace Operations

Drawing on his experience as Force Commander of the Â鶹APP peacekeeping mission in South Sudan and as a senior leader in the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian reflects on the similarities and differences of leading in national and multinational operational environments. In this interview, he shares lessons from both roles, discusses peacekeeping¡¯s capacity to adapt to evolving security challenges, and offers his vision for strengthening UN peace operations going forward.

Question: Over the course of your tenure in South Sudan, you led peacekeepers through some difficult moments, from widespread flooding to complex security threats. Looking back, is there a particular incident or decision that remains especially memorable?

Mohan Subramanian: Looking back on my time as Force Commander in there are several decisions, both individual and collective, that I am proud of due to their positive impact on delivering the mandate. Two decisions remain especially memorable because of the risks involved and the direct protection outcomes they achieved.

The first was the decision to deploy a temporary base in Abiemnom, in the northwest of the country, a highly conflict-prone area where infrastructure was extremely poor and where the government had explicitly forbidden us from deploying. I had real concerns, including the possibility of eviction of peacekeepers and long-term damage to our relationship with the host authorities. I also had questions about whether we could even sustain troops in such a remote and insecure location. Despite this, the protection of local communities at risk was for me an imperative. At the time, there was no doubt that the protection of civilians was a priority and that there was no other way but to dispatch UN troops to the area.

In hindsight, many of those concerns proved unfounded. We were able to manage relations with the host government, sustain the deployment, and most importantly, contribute to saving thousands of lives over the following years.

The second decision was the introduction of mixed patrols (military, police and civilians) to prevent conflict related sexual violence, which at the time was not part of standard operational practice. This initiative faced criticism from the outset, particularly because results were not immediately visible. However, the team¡¯s persistence proved crucial. In one instance, our forces successfully prevented the abduction and abuse of 96 girls by an armed group. They placed themselves in the armed group's path and prevented it from reaching the girls. That moment demonstrated the necessity of such patrols, which became a regular feature of our operations. Both decisions reinforced the importance of innovation, conviction, and keeping the protection of civilians at the center of our mission.

Question: You brought to UNMISS decades of operational and command experience from the Indian Army. Once on the ground in South Sudan, leading a multinational peacekeeping force, what aspects of that experience proved most challenging?

Mohan Subramanian: When I arrived in South Sudan in August 2022, I brought with me over three decades of experience as Lieutenant General in the Indian Army, including in complex conflict environments. However, transitioning to UN peacekeeping required me to adapt to an entirely different set of challenges and to rethink both how I operated and how I approached my role.

To me, the most striking difference was the absence of a clearly defined adversary. In a national context, military operations are planned against a known enemy and within clearly identified territorial parameters. In peacekeeping, the focus is on protecting and serving vulnerable populations and alleviating suffering.

Another major challenge was leading a large multinational force composed of contingents from over 80 countries, each bringing different training standards, equipment, doctrines, and cultural approaches to operations. At first, this diversity seemed a limitation, creating complexity in communication and coordination. But, over time, it became one of our greatest strengths, as different capabilities complemented each other and enabled a more holistic approach to operations.

At the same time, decision-making in a UN mission requires constant awareness of both military and political dimensions. Every operational decision had to be assessed not only for its tactical effectiveness, but also for its political implications and acceptability to a wide range of stakeholders. This required adapting leadership styles, engaging in dialogue, and ensuring strict adherence to the ¡°do no harm¡± principle. These combined factors made my peacekeeping leadership experience both uniquely challenging and deeply rewarding.

Question: Coming from a top contributing country to UN peacekeeping, what in your view is the value of peacekeeping? Why is it important for countries from the global South and global North to invest in peace?

Mohan Subramanian:The relevance of UN peacekeeping is often questioned, particularly in complex and protracted conflict environments, but history shows that these moments of doubt are not new. Time and again, peacekeeping has been tested, and each time, it has adapted and emerged stronger.

From my perspective, the value of peacekeeping lies in its unique ability to operate as a collective international mechanism that is accepted by conflicting parties and trusted by local populations. As I often say, UN peacekeeping has proved to be the most credible, reliable, neutral, and cost-effective tool available to the international community.

But clearly, its continued effectiveness depends on equitable global participation. At present, there is an imbalance where countries from the Global South contribute many troops deployed on the ground, while contributions from the Global North are often more limited and focused on specialized roles. While these contributions are important, they are not equivalent to deploying formed combat units and contingents that operate on the front lines of peacekeeping.

For peacekeeping to truly reflect the collective will of the international community, there must be a more balanced sharing of responsibilities, including troop contributions, financial support, and political backing. The strength of peacekeeping lies in its diversity and universality, and when countries from all regions contribute meaningfully, it enhances both legitimacy and effectiveness in addressing global conflict situations.

Question: If you were designing a ¡°next generation¡± peacekeeping model, what elements would it need to include to address today¡¯s conflicts? And what would be your message to young peacekeepers coming into this area of work?

Mohan Subramanian: Any vision for a next-generation peacekeeping model must begin with a strong foundation in the core principles and values that have guided Â鶹APP peacekeeping over the decades. These principles, including impartiality, consent, and the focus on protecting civilians, are not just historical artifacts, they are the very reason peacekeeping has succeeded in diverse contexts around the world. At the foundational edifice, adherence to UN principles has to be there.

At the same time, the nature of conflict today requires peacekeeping to evolve. Missions need to be more agile, more focused, and better aligned with clearly defined and achievable objectives. There is also a growing need to integrate technology more effectively, whether for situational awareness, early warning, or operational response. Additionally, resources must be used strategically, ensuring that efforts are concentrated on the most critical priorities rather than spread too thin across multiple objectives.

Equally important is the human dimension of peacekeeping. For young peacekeepers entering this field, the message is one of purpose and accountability. Peacekeeping offers a rare and profound opportunity to serve communities that have endured immense hardship. It is essential to engage directly with those communities, to understand their realities, and to tailor responses accordingly. Ultimately, the effectiveness of peacekeeping depends not just on structures and mandates, but on the commitment of individuals to act with empathy, initiative, and a deep sense of responsibility.

Question:You are moving from a military into a civilian role as Director of the Office for Peacekeeping Strategic Partnership at the Department of Peace Operations. Having seen both the operational realities on the ground and the broader pressures facing peacekeeping globally, what priorities and aspirations will guide you in this new chapter?

Mohan Subramanian: My transition from a military role in the field to a civilian leadership position at Headquarters represents less a shift in purpose and more an expansion of perspective. Having spent years implementing mandates on the ground, I now have the opportunity to contribute to strengthening peacekeeping at a strategic and systemic level. As I see it, this is a peacekeeping continuum.

In this role, my priorities are focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of peace operations. This includes continuously reviewing how missions¡¯ function, identifying gaps that affect mandate delivery, and making practical recommendations to address those challenges. Ensuring the safety, security, and welfare of uniformed personnel is also a key priority, as is assessing whether the support structures provided by the organization are adequate and responsive to operational needs.

Another major focus is partnership. Peacekeeping is, by its nature, a collective enterprise, and its success depends on close collaboration between Member States, the UN Secretariat, field missions, training institutions, and the broader research and academic community. Engaging with troop and police contributing countries, as well as financial contributors, is essential to building a more integrated and responsive peacekeeping system.

Ultimately, my goal in this new chapter is to bridge operational experience with strategic policy, ensuring that peacekeeping remains adaptable, credible, and capable of meeting the challenges of an increasingly complex global security landscape.