India has announced that Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardan Singh will represent the nation at the upcoming Peace Summit on Gaza. This significant event, co-hosted by Egypt and the United States, is scheduled for Monday in Sharm el Sheikh.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a personal invitation from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump to attend the summit, which focuses on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, he regrettably declined due to the short notice. The invitation was extended over the weekend, and Mr. Modi also met with U.S. special envoy Sergio Gor on Saturday. Consequently, Mr. Singh departed for Cairo on Sunday to attend the summit. Separately, Prime Minister Modi is slated to hold a Strategic Dialogue with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty later this week in Delhi.
Sources confirm that Minister Abdelatty’s visit aligns with the Sisi-Modi Strategic Partnership Agreement from January 2023, marking his first trip to India since assuming his role in 2024. Despite numerous prior cancellations due to the Gaza conflict and scheduling challenges, Mr. Abdelatty has maintained regular contact with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, including during Operation Sindoor in May. Egypt had previously condemned the Pahalgam terror attacks. During his visit, Mr. Abdelatty is also expected to brief the Indian government on the plans for Gaza’s reconstruction. Furthermore, although not part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), Egypt is keen to explore alternative route alignments via Sharm el Sheikh with India, addressing security concerns related to Israel’s Haifa port, which is part of the current IMEC route.
The Sharm el Sheikh event is expected to draw more than 20 world leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and heads of state from France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, alongside other leaders from Europe, the Gulf region, and Asia. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has confirmed attendance. However, Iran’s leadership, despite a surprise invitation, has declined, as have Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. The attendance of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains uncertain. Meanwhile, U.S. President Trump is scheduled to address the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem on Monday morning, as both he and Mr. Netanyahu await the release of 20 remaining Israeli hostages by Hamas and the return of bodies from the 2023 terror attacks, in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
On Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdelatty engaged in telephone discussions with his counterparts from various nations, relaying the invitation from Presidents Sisi and Trump to witness the signing of the peace agreement.
An official statement from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry highlighted that “Minister Abdelatty discussed the substantive arrangements of the summit, which is a historic summit aimed at ending the war on the Gaza Strip and inaugurating a new chapter of peace and security in the region.”
The statement further added, “The summit seeks to help restore regional stability and alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza, in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision for peace in the region and his sincere efforts to establish peace and stability in the Middle East and resolve conflicts worldwide.” Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement and congratulated Mr. Trump via telephone.