India attends inaugural Board of Peace meeting on Gaza as observer nation

India attended the first meeting of the Board of Peace on Gaza, an initiative convened by Donald Trump, with New Delhi present as an observer nation. The session was held at the Donald J Trump Institute of Peace in Washington DC marking India’s diplomatic engagement with a US-led effort on ceasefire follow-up and reconstruction in the Gaza Strip.

India was represented by Namgya Khampa, Charge d’affaires at the Indian Embassy in Washington, who attended the meeting alongside senior diplomats from around 40 countries and the European Union.

Although India received an invitation to formally join the Board, it has not yet taken a decision to become a member and participated only in an observational capacity during the initial session.

The Board of Peace was announced by Trump in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he outlined a plan aimed at ending the war between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip and leading efforts for reconstruction and long-term stability.

India was absent from that launch event, and New Delhi’s envoy attended the Washington meeting this week to monitor discussions and better understand the initiative’s potential implications.

At the inaugural meeting, Trump announced that the United States would commit $10 billion to the Board — intended to support reconstruction efforts in Gaza after years of conflict.

Member nations, which include Argentina, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and others, also pledged contributions totaling several billion dollars toward relief, reconstruction and stabilisation.

Several countries attending the session as observers alongside India included Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, reflecting broad international interest even among nations that have not taken full membership.

The Board aims not only to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza but also to chart a framework for enduring peace in the region, according to its organizers.

It has drawn attention for its ambitions to function alongside, or in some cases supplement, existing international institutions involved in conflict resolution and humanitarian support. Critics and analysts have noted that the Board’s structure — lacking Palestinian representation and led by Trump — raises questions about its long-term role relative to the United Nations.

India’s decision to attend as an observer reflects New Delhi’s intention to stay engaged in international discussions on peace, reconstruction and stability in the Middle East, while maintaining its long-standing position advocating a two-state solution and balanced diplomatic engagement with all parties.