The experts’ workshop on “Women, Peace and Security (WPS) in India” was held as part of a broader project aimed at expanding the WPS framework in India and developing an inclusive agenda that reflects the country’s diverse experiences and perspectives on women, peace, and security. Supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, the initiative seeks to strengthen engagement with WPS in the Indian context and connect domestic perspectives with global frameworks and agendas.

The Women, Peace and Security agenda, anchored in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and subsequent resolutions, provides an international framework for advancing women’s participation in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and post-conflict recovery. In India, WPS-related efforts span diverse stakeholders and thematic areas, including civil society, academic research, government institutions, the Armed Forces, and international organizations. However, differences in institutional priorities and approaches can limit opportunities for collaboration. Understanding how these actors interpret and engage with WPS is therefore essential to identifying shared priorities, addressing gaps, and developing a framework suited to the Indian context.

The full-day workshop featured four panels bringing together representatives from these stakeholder groups to examine their respective understandings of WPS, the challenges they encounter, and opportunities for advancing the agenda in India. Conducted in a seminar format, the discussions covered diverse thematic areas under the broader WPS framework, encouraging dialogue across institutional and disciplinary boundaries.

A key focus of the workshop was identifying opportunities to connect otherwise fragmented WPS initiatives and perspectives. The discussions generated insights to inform the project’s broader efforts to expand the WPS framework in India and develop a shadow Action Plan that articulates Indian perspectives while connecting them with international WPS frameworks and agendas. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the workshop contributed to ongoing efforts to develop a more inclusive and context-sensitive approach to Women, Peace and Security in India.

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