New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has publicly questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to skip a crucial peace summit in Egypt aimed at resolving the Israel-Gaza conflict, labeling the move a potential “missed opportunity” for Indian diplomacy.
The Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has drawn an array of global leaders, including heads of state from approximately 20 nations. High-profile attendees reportedly include US President Donald Trump and Palestine President Mahmoud Abbas, gathering to seek a lasting solution following recent escalations and a hostage exchange deal.
In a sharp observation posted on X, Tharoor noted that while an invitation was extended to PM Modi, India chose to send the Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, to represent the country.
”India’s presence at the Sharm el-Sheikh Gaza peace summit, at the level of a Minister of State, stands in stark contrast to the heads of state gathered there,” Tharoor wrote, confessing he was ‘puzzled’ by the high-level absence.
The former junior External Affairs Minister clarified that his comment was “no reflection on Kirti Vardhan Singh, whose competence is not in question.” However, he stressed that given the “galaxy of grandees present,” India’s choice “could be seen as signaling a preference for strategic distance our statements don’t convey.”
The core of his query centered on whether the decision was an exercise in “Strategic restraint or missed opportunity?”—a question that places the government’s foreign policy approach under the domestic spotlight, particularly regarding a major security issue in India’s neighbourhood.
The questioning comes even as Tharoor has recently faced internal party scrutiny for making remarks perceived as complimentary toward the Prime Minister’s administration, adding another layer of complexity to his current stance on foreign policy matters. The Egypt summit aims to forge a pathway towards peace, particularly following the recent release of 20 hostages by Hamas and a reciprocal release of Palestinian prisoners by Israel
