NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the leaders of over 20 countries invited by US President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to a high-level summit on Gaza, scheduled for Monday in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The summit will focus on advancing peace and stability in the region following a recently mediated ceasefire agreement.
According to official sources, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti V Singh will represent India at the summit. Due to prior commitments and the short notice of the invitation — which was received on Saturday — neither PM Modi nor External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was able to attend.
PM Modi has previously expressed support for Trump’s Gaza peace plan, calling recent developments — including the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners by Israel — a “significant step forward” in the ongoing diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.
The summit will be co-chaired by Trump and El-Sisi and is expected to bring together leaders from France, Germany, the UK, Turkey, Italy, Pakistan, Spain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the European Union, and others. Notably, representatives from Israel and Hamas will not be participating.
Egypt has stated that the aim of the summit is to “consolidate the ceasefire, support peace efforts in the Gaza Strip, and usher in a new phase of regional security and stability.”
Meanwhile, PM Modi is scheduled to host Mongolian President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa on Tuesday, and EAM Jaishankar is set to hold bilateral talks with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Monday.
According to a Reuters report from Cairo, Trump is expected to visit Israel earlier on Monday to address the Knesset before heading to Sharm El-Sheikh for the summit.
