India will be sending a battalion of Gurkha soldiers to replace some of its troops on the United Nations peacekeeping mission in strife-torn Congo, a Defence Ministry spokesman said Friday.
India, with 4,500 troops, is one of the largest contributors to the 17,000-strong UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, usually referred to by its French acronym MONUC, reported dpa.
The Gurkha battalion would be sent to Congo by the end of November, army spokesman Virendra Singh said.
Federal Defence Minister AK Anthony had voiced concern last week about the safety of Indian personnel after reports of attacks on peacekeepers.
The battalion of 1,200 troopers had undergone extensive training and mission sensitization in Delhi for several months keeping in view the volatile conditions in Congo, a Defence Ministry statement said.
The soldiers had also been trained in all aspects of UN operations and humanitarian issues, it added.