India weighs options after Trump invite to join Gaza Peace Board

New Delhi: India is weighing various options as it considers US President Donald Trump's invite to be a part of what he calls the "Board of Peace", meant to oversee governance and reconstruction in post-war Gaza.

The government is considering its options in the eventuality of getting associated with the board, ET has learnt. Any such decision would have to be ratified by the Union cabinet, it is further learnt.

Also Read: What is Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ and why has India been invited?


India has consistently advocated a two-state solution to end the Israel-Palestine conflict. Any decision to join the board would also have to assess how New Delhi engages with Palestine going forward.

Trump's offer came as India hosted UAE President Md Bin Zayed on Monday and is preparing to host a meeting of Arab foreign ministers on January 31. Russia has also been invited to join the board. Moscow mentioned that it is studying the proposal.

In the past, India has primarily joined UN- mandated missions in any conflict zone, making the government study the board's links with the UN in any form, it has been learnt. The US initiative has drawn comparisons with the UN and is being viewed in some quarters as a potential rival to the global body.

However, the presence of Pakistan and Turkey in the board poses the biggest challenge for India in finalising a decision. The Trump administration has also invited both Turkey and Pakistan to join the board. Pakistan was earlier encouraged by the US government to send stabilisation forces to Gaza.

Trump has tried to make Pakistan lynchpin of his South Asia policy by engaging the Army chief, using Pakistan to target Iran, besides attempting inroads into Afghanistan and encouraging Islamabad to even join Abraham Accords.