‘India reviewing US invitation to join Board of Peace’: MEA

NEW DELHI: India is reviewing the invitation from the United States government to join the Board of Peace, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday.

Addressing a media brief, the MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that New Delhi has received a formal communication from Washington regarding participation in the Board and is currently examining the proposal.

“As far as the Board of Peace is concerned, we have received an invitation from the US government to join the Board of Peace. We are currently considering this proposal and reviewing it,” Jaiswal said.

Responding to reports that the first proposed meeting of the Board of Peace is scheduled for February 19, he reiterated India’s consistent position on promoting peace and dialogue in the region.

#WATCH | Delhi: On US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, “We have received an invitation from the US side to join the Board of Peace. We are currently examining the proposal. As you know, India has consistently supported efforts aimed… pic.twitter.com/Urroy87hsd

— ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2026

“As you are aware, India has consistently supported efforts that promote peace, stability, and dialogue in West Asia. Our Prime Minister has also welcomed all such initiatives that pave the way for long-term and lasting peace in the entire region, including Gaza, ” he added.

Jaiswal said that the government is presently reviewing the invitation and did not provide further details on whether India would participate in the upcoming meeting.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump had invited India to be a part of the Board of Peace. The invitation came as the US administration moves forward with formalising the “Board of Peace” structure linked to Trump’s broader Gaza roadmap. The White House unveiled the list of appointees to the “Board of Peace,” which will oversee phase two of his 20-Point Peace Plan to end the Gaza conflict.

The names included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff, President of the World Bank Ajay Banga, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, the White House said in a statement.

The list also included Apollo Global Management’s CEO, Marc Rowan, and US Deputy National Security Adviser Robert Gabriel.

Explaining the roles and responsibilities under the initiative, the White House said, “Executive Board members will oversee defined portfolios critical to Gaza’s stabilisation and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilisation.

“With Trump serving as the Chairman of the Board of Peace, he has appointed Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as senior advisors, tasked with leading day-to-day strategy and operations, and translating the Board’s mandate and diplomatic priorities into disciplined execution.

As part of the administrative mechanism under the plan, Nickolay Mladenov, an Executive Board member, will serve as the High Representative for Gaza and act as the on-the-ground link between the Board of Peace and the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG).

Describing the NCAG as a key component of phase two, the White House said it is a vital step forward in implementing Phase Two of his Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict — a 20-point roadmap for lasting peace, stability, reconstruction, and prosperity in the region.

The White House statement said the NCAG will be led by Ali Sha’ath, a widely respected technocratic leader who will oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilisation of daily life in Gaza, while laying the foundation for long-term, self-sustaining governance.

Alongside governance and reconstruction planning, the statement also outlined security arrangements to establish stability. Additionally, to establish security, preserve peace, and create a durable terror-free environment, Major General Jasper Jeffers has been appointed Commander of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF), where he will lead security operations, support comprehensive demilitarisation, and enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials, the White House said.

The announcement also named members of the Gaza Executive Board, including Blair, Kushner, Witkoff, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Qatari diplomat Ali Al Thawadi, and others. (ANI)