India Weighs Joining Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace

As the Indian government reviews U.S. President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the U.S.-led Gaza “Board of Peace”, foreign policy experts have urged New Delhi to carefully assess the board’s legitimacy, mandate, and alignment with international law.

On January 21, 2026, several countries announced their decision to join the board. These include Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also accepted the invitation.

Sources in New Delhi confirmed that Indian and Israeli diplomats are in talks regarding possible visits by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu to India in the coming weeks. These discussions are part of India’s broader engagement with West Asia and the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.

India is set to host the Foreign Ministers of the 22-member Arab League on January 30, where consultations are expected on the Gaza peace proposal promoted by the United States.

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed of the UAE and Prime Minister Netanyahu officially accepted the invitation to join the board during the same announcement. Mr. Modi is also planning a West Asia tour next month, and Israel is confirmed as one of the possible destinations. His last visit to Israel was in 2017, while he visited Palestine in 2018. Mr. Netanyahu’s visit to India has been pending and postponed multiple times last year.

The peace board proposal was sent to around 60 countries, including India, Russia, China, Brazil, Argentina, Pakistan, and several European and West Asian nations. The Ministry of External Affairs stated that India’s decision is still under discussion.

Experts highlighted that India must consider its long-standing support for a two-state solution and its commitment to the Palestinian people before joining the board. Former Ambassador Anil Trigunayat said that peace in Gaza would benefit civilians and noted that India could play a key role in humanitarian and medical assistance. However, he raised concerns about the proposed corporate-style governance model of the board and a reported $1 billion fee for permanent membership.

Former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Menon Rao stressed that India’s participation must respect international law, have a clear and limited mandate, and remain consistent with United Nations frameworks. She added that New Delhi would likely seek greater clarity before making a final decision.

Other countries that have agreed to join the board include Argentina, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Morocco. Meanwhile, Ukraine and the United Kingdom have objected to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inclusion.

The United States has proposed that the board be chaired by President Donald Trump, with members including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special negotiator Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, financier Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel from the U.S. National Security Council.