India to send MoS for Gaza summit in Egypt

Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh will represent India at the international summit in Egypt’s Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday, convened to discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposal to end the war in Gaza.

The meeting, co-chaired by President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is expected to draw leaders from over 20 countries.

Official sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also been invited to the summit, but would not travel. The sources said India’s decision to send the MoS as its representative signalled support for the diplomatic initiative while maintaining a balanced position on the evolving West Asia situation.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, British Premier Keir Starmer, Italy’s Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres are among the world leaders who are expected to attend the summit.

The summit aims to finalise a US-backed peace framework focused on a ceasefire, humanitarian access, hostage exchanges, and a roadmap for Gaza’s reconstruction and governance. Washington and Cairo are jointly pushing for a consensus on the plan, which Trump described as “a final chance for durable peace”.

Ahead of the meeting, US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor called on PM Modi in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss India’s participation in the peace process and broader bilateral cooperation.

Modi has reiterated India’s consistent position in favour of dialogue, restraint, and a two-state solution — one that ensures a secure Israel and a viable, sovereign Palestine living side by side in peace.

Analysts say India’s decision to send the MoS, rather than the PM or the External Affairs Minister, reflects a calibrated diplomatic approach —expressing solidarity with global peace efforts without being drawn directly into the contentious regional negotiations.

At the summit, Trump and al-Sisi are expected to issue a joint communiqué outlining next steps in the peace process after the day-long deliberations.