India has been invited to participate in a newly established US-led Gaza Peace Board, thrusting New Delhi into a pivotal moment in international relations. Analysts caution that becoming a board member may present substantial reputational dilemmas and strategic pitfalls. Alternatively
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A seat at Trump’s Gaza peace table could cost India its 'reputation and credibility'
India has been invited to participate in a newly established US-led Gaza Peace Board, thrusting New Delhi into a pivotal moment in international relations. Analysts caution that becoming a board member may present substantial reputational dilemmas and strategic pitfalls. Alternatively, India can contribute to Gaza's rebuilding through existing international frameworks without the need for formal involvement.
India's invite to the newly constituted, US-led Gaza Peace Board, chaired by US President Donald Trump, places New Delhi at a delicate geopolitical crossroads.
As reported by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), the invitation forces India to weigh its humanitarian instincts and global ambitions against reputational, legal and strategic risks embedded in the board's design.
"...these factors carry clear reputational and strategic risks for India, which can support humanitarian relief and reconstruction without formally joining the board—an approach that may better preserve its credibility," the think tank said.
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According to trade expert Ajay Srivastava of GTRI, the proposed framework represents a departure from established multilateral mechanisms and could undermine India's long-standing support for international law and Palestinian self-determination.
A war without end, a board without consensus
The invitation comes as the Gaza conflict enters its third year, following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed around 1,200 people in Israel and led to the taking of hostages.Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has involved sustained airstrikes, ground operations and a prolonged blockade.
More than 30,000 Palestinians -- mostly civilians -- are reported to have been killed, according to international estimates, with deaths compounded by hunger, disease and the collapse of basic services.
Hospitals have been crippled by fuel shortages, while humanitarian agencies have warned of near-total systemic failure.
Human rights organisations and several UN officials have accused Israel of indiscriminate attacks and obstructing humanitarian access -- allegations Israel disputes.
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Nevertheless, the scale of destruction has triggered widespread international outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
It is against this backdrop that Washington has unveiled a political and reconstruction mechanism that explicitly operates outside UN frameworks, raising immediate concerns among diplomats and analysts.
Trump's real-estate vision for Gaza
Fueling the controversy is Donald Trump's repeated characterisation of Gaza as a redevelopment opportunity.In February 2025, he described the territory as a potential “Riviera of the Middle East”, arguing that it should be taken over and rebuilt.
During a February 4, 2025 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, Trump said the United States should “take over” and “own” Gaza, calling it a “demolition site” with high redevelopment potential.
He reiterated the idea days later, referring to Gaza as a “big real estate site”, and promoted the concept through public remarks and online posts.
That vision was formalised on September 29, 2025, in a 20-point proposal calling for Gaza's redevelopment under a US-chaired Board of Peace -- a plan that critics say prioritises infrastructure and investment without resolving core political questions.
A board outside the UN system
The proposal took institutional form on January 15, 2026, when Trump announced the establishment of the Gaza Peace Board.The body is intended to oversee political coordination, security-linked reconstruction and investment in Gaza, with an initial $1 billion package earmarked for housing, electricity, water, sanitation and job creation.
Crucially, the funding is tied to security conditions and regional cooperation, a linkage that GTRI warns could delay urgently needed humanitarian relief.
The Executive Board, announced on January 17, brings together a mix of political figures, diplomats and financiers. Members include:
Nickolay Mladenov as High Representative for Gaza US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff Jared Kushner Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan World Bank President Ajay Banga Political adviser Robert Gabriel Jr.GTRI notes that the composition of the board raises fundamental questions about whose priorities will shape Gaza's future, humanitarian recovery or commercial redevelopment.
Also Read: Trump's Board of Peace has several invited leaders trying to figure out how it'll work
Who is in, and who is left out
Invitations to join as founding members have been extended across regions, including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, the UAE and Morocco; Argentina, Canada, Brazil and Paraguay; India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Australia and Indonesia; and European countries such as France, Germany and the UK.However, the governance structure remains deeply imbalanced.
Israel is not a formal member, yet retains decisive control over security and implementation on the ground.
Palestine has no direct representation on the board, with only a general assurance of future involvement through the Palestinian Authority.
“This lack of Palestinian political ownership makes any outcome appear externally imposed and weak on legitimacy,” GTRI said.
Why GTRI says India should stay out
As per GTRI's January 20, 2025 report, there are strong reasons for India not to formally join the Gaza Peace Board.Foremost among them is the absence of Palestinian agency, combined with Israel's effective veto power over security decisions without corresponding accountability.
The board's decision to bypass UN-led mechanisms also cuts against principles India has consistently defended at global forums.
“There is little clarity on Gaza's future governance, borders or sovereignty,” the report noted, adding that the US-dominated structure risks sidelining international law.
From a humanitarian standpoint, tying reconstruction funds to security benchmarks could delay lifesaving aid.
GTRI also cautioned that the $1 billion reconstruction package may ultimately shift financial burdens onto partner countries without addressing the conflict's underlying political causes.
Equally troubling are concerns about commercialisation.
Trump's earlier real-estate rhetoric, combined with the presence of major financiers on the board, has raised fears that redevelopment could prioritise commercial projects and land use over Palestinian rights, consent and return.
A safer path for New Delhi
According to Ajay Srivastava, India can continue to support humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza without formally joining a politically skewed framework.“Participation carries clear reputational and strategic risks,” the GTRI report concludes, arguing that distance from the board may better preserve India's credibility on multilateralism, international law and the Palestinian cause, while still allowing it to contribute constructively through established global channels.
For New Delhi, the invitation may flatter its growing global stature. But as GTRI warns, accepting it could prove far costlier than declining.
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Source: EconomicTimes
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