India will be represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardan Singh at the Gaza Peace Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13, 2025. Singh is attending as a special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who declined the invitation due to short notice. The summit is co-hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump, focusing on the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Modi Meets U.S. Envoy in Delhi
Although Modi will not attend the summit, he met with U.S. Special Envoy Sergio Gor in Delhi on Saturday. Singh departed for Cairo on Sunday and will proceed to Sharm el-Sheikh on Monday. Modi is expected to meet Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty later this week during the India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue.
Strategic Dialogue with Egypt
Abdelatty’s visit follows the Sisi-Modi Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in January 2023. This is his first visit since taking office in 2024. Previous attempts were delayed due to Gaza developments and scheduling conflicts. Abdelatty has maintained regular contact with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and has condemned previous terror attacks in India. He is expected to brief India on Gaza reconstruction plans and discuss alternative routes for the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
Global Participation at the Summit
Leaders from the UN, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, and other European, Gulf, and Asian countries will attend. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will participate, while Iran and Hamas have declined. Attendance from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas remains uncertain.
Peace and Regional Stability
The summit aims to restore stability in Gaza and promote regional peace. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the event seeks to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians and establish long-term security in line with President Trump’s vision for Middle East peace. Modi welcomed the ceasefire last week and congratulated Trump over the phone.
