According to Alarabiya English, the Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix stated that the lack of funding will result in a 25 percent troop reduction across nine of the eleven active peacekeeping missions worldwide.

“We do not have a choice but to implement these reductions, which are due to the partial non-payment by some states,” Lacroix explained at a meeting with troop-contributing countries in India.

The UN peacekeeping budget faces a significant shortfall, largely because the United States—which was expected to contribute $1.3 billion—has notified the UN it will only pay approximately $682 million of its pledged amount for the 2025–2026 operations.

Lacroix emphasized that these cuts are happening despite a worsening global security landscape, which demands more, not less, from peacekeepers.

He stressed the indispensable role of the missions in saving lives and promoting stability worldwide.

India’s army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, acknowledged the budget squeeze, stating that future missions will need to rely more on technology and innovation rather than “boots on the ground.”