NEW DELHI: India will be represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh at the Sharm el-Sheikh Gaza peace summit on Monday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a last-minute invitation from US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The summit, to be jointly chaired by Trump and Sisi, follows the ceasefire brokered last Friday between Israel and Hamas.
"Arrived in the historic city of Cairo as special representative of Prime Minister @narendramodi to attend the Gaza Peace Summit at Sharm el-Sheikh," Singh said on 'X'.
The gathering, in Egypt’s Red Sea resort city, is expected to host leaders from over 20 countries, aiming “to end the war in the Gaza Strip, enhance efforts to achieve peace and stability in the Middle East, and usher in a new era of regional security and stability,” the Egyptian presidency said.
Leaders including UN Secretary-General António Guterres, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, Spain’s Pedro Sánchez, and French President Emmanuel Macron have confirmed their attendance.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s presence, however, remains uncertain. Hamas has declined to participate.
The summit comes on the heels of a US-mediated hostage swap and truce agreement reached through indirect talks in Sharm el-Sheikh, hosted by Egypt and supported by Qatar and Turkey.
Under the deal, Hamas will begin releasing its hostages on Monday, while Israel is expected to free about 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,700 detainees, in exchange for an easing of restrictions and expanded humanitarian access to Gaza.
The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, after a Hamas incursion into Israel that killed around 1,200 people and resulted in the capture of 251 hostages, has since claimed over 67,000 lives, mostly Palestinians and stirred global condemnation over the humanitarian crisis.
India’s participation via Singh underscores its aim to maintain diplomatic relevance in West Asia.
PM Modi’s decision to send a representative rather than attend personally allows New Delhi to signal support without overcommitting. As the summit unfolds, India may look to influence post-war reconstruction strategies and humanitarian frameworks in Gaza.
