India is reviewing an invitation from the United States to participate in the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace (BoP), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The meeting, scheduled to be held in Washington on February 19, is widely viewed as a new initiative spearheaded by Trump to play a greater role in global conflict resolution.
India Reviewing Proposal
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that New Delhi has received an official invitation from the US government.
“As far as the Board of Peace is concerned, we have received an invitation from the US government to join. We are currently considering this proposal and reviewing it,” he said during a media briefing.
Jaiswal reiterated India’s longstanding position on West Asia, stating that New Delhi consistently supports initiatives that promote peace, stability, and dialogue in the region, including Gaza.
Pakistan Confirms Participation
Meanwhile, Pakistan announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the meeting in Washington.
Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi confirmed Sharif’s participation, adding that he would be accompanied by the deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Details of the delegation’s engagements in the US will be shared in due course, he said.
Pakistan was among the early signatories to the Board of Peace charter, which was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. Initially focused on rebuilding Palestinian territories, particularly Gaza, the initiative has since been expanded as a broader global peace platform. Major powers, including G7 members, have not yet joined.
Islamabad stated that it joined the initiative “in good faith” and as part of a collective voice of Islamic-Arab countries advocating for a long-term solution to the Palestine issue, including the establishment of a Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Context: India-US and India-Pakistan Dynamics
The development comes amid evolving regional and global dynamics. India-US relations have recently seen renewed engagement, including a trade agreement, following months of tensions over tariff measures and policy differences.
At the same time, remarks by President Trump regarding his claimed role in de-escalating last year’s India-Pakistan military tensions have drawn attention. Trump has repeatedly stated that Washington helped prevent further escalation, a claim India has consistently denied.
New Delhi has maintained that there was no third-party mediation following its launch of Operation Sindoor in May last year, conducted in response to a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians.
As deliberations continue, India has not yet indicated whether it will participate in the upcoming Board of Peace meeting in Washington.
