1.      Genesis.   Indo-China was a French colony comprising the three states of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. During the Second World War, Japanese forces overran this region.  Post capitulation of the Japanese in 1945, France decided to revive its empire.  This led to a war between the French and Ho Chi Minh’s Army culminating in the battle of Dien Bien Phui in 1954, in which the French forces lost. On 26 April 1954, a nine nation conference began in Geneva to find a solution to the situation in Indo-China. After several rounds of talks, a general agreement on an armistice was reached on 20 July 1954. Ceasefire agreements were signed and Vietnam was partitioned into North and South Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia became independent nations. To supervise the implementation of the agreement, three independent International Commissions for Supervision and Control (ICSC) were established by the UN.

2.     Contribution.    India provided the civilian and military leadership, security, logistics and basic communications for the commissions.  The Indian Army contingent strength was built up to 946 personnel by year 1955 and consisted of personnel from Infantry Battalions, Corps of Signals, Medical Team, Ordnance Detachment, Movement Control Detachment, Postal Unit and Supply Detachment. Due to ethnic and ideological rivalries, as also the interplay of outside influences, the region remained strife-torn. Indian peacekeepers, continued to play an active role in implementation of the UN mandate, till the withdrawal of the mission.

Indian Contingent in Korea		Lt Gen (Later Gen) KS Thimmayya, DSO Interacting with PsOW