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India's unique combination of being the largest democracy in the world with a strong tradition of respect for rule of law and the successful experience in nation building makes it particularly relevant in the context of twenty-first century peace building. India is a member of Organizational Committee of the Peace building Commission (PBC). India is strongly supportive of nationally-led plans for peace consolidation, while arguing for a constructive approach and a 'lighter touch' by the PBC in extending advice, support and in extending its involvement. India has also been contributing to the UN Peace building Fund. This paper looks at In particular, it seeks to explain the inescapable paradox of India's 'peace operations' since independence: while India has frequently used force in neighbouring states to achieve political objectives, at the global level it has stressed the importance of state sovereignty and has cautioned against military intervention in states' internal affairs. To put it another way, there is a tension between India's unilateral execution of 'peace operations' in and around the Indian subcontinent and its insistence on peace operations elsewhere being multilateral and authorized by the UN.