The United Nations Secretary-General announced the appointment of Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian of the Indian Army as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Indian Army’s Lt. Gen Mohan Subramanian as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday, succeeding fellow officer Lt. Gen Shailesh Tinaikar.
Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian has been a part of the Indian Army spanning over 36 years. Most recently, he served as the General Officer Commanding, Military Region (Operational and Logistic Readiness Zone) in central India, contributing to the Army’s operational and logistic preparedness.
The general has also served as the Additional Director General for Procurement and Equipment Management at the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defense (Army) (2019-2021), General Officer Commanding a Strike Infantry Division (2018-2019), Deputy General Officer Commanding of Infantry Division (2015-2016), Commander of a Mountain Brigade (2013-2014) among other appointments within the Indian Armed Forces, previously.
He was also India’s Defense Attaché to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia between 2008 to 2012 and as a Staff Officer with the United Nations Mission in Siera Leone in 2000.
What is the UNMISS?
The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established in 2011 under Security Council Resolution 1996 to control the security threats, protect civilians, and take preventive measures on violations of humanitarian and human rights law in South Sudan since its inception as an independent country in 2011.
The mission supports the implementation of the “revitalized agreement and the peace process” in the affected regions in the country and assesses the security situation in South Sudan.
India has had a strong association and influence in the UN peacekeeping missions for decades. It has delivered over 2,00,000 personnel since 1948 in 49 UN peacekeeping missions. Currently, India has a presence in eight out of fourteen missions with over 5,400 serving military personnel.
In addition to Lt. Gen. Subramanian’s appointment, India has given fifteen Force Commanders, two military advisers, one deputy military advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, two division commanders, and eight Deputy Force Commanders in a number of UN missions.
