New Delhi: October 13, 2025. The world’s eyes were on Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where the Gaza Peace Summit was unfolding. Which…was supposed to be all about diplomacy, right? But what we got was more like a reality show with a side of awkward silences and unexpected drama.
Over 20 countries gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh…. France’s Macron was there, Italy’s Meloni was there, the UN chief was there… It was like who’s who of global politics…. But Israel’s Netanyahu? Skipped. He skipped due to a holiday. Hamas? Absent. Iran? Also absent. And India? We sent our Minister of State, Kirti Vardhan Singh. But PM Modi himself? Didn’t attend. Officially the reason of not attending was because of short notice. But some said… maybe PM Modi wanted to avoid standing next to Pakistan’s PM in a very, very public photo-op.
Even though PM Modi wasn’t physically there, India literally dominated the headlines. Trump said…. “India is a great country… a great friend at the top, he did a fantastic job”. Then he looked at Shehbaz Sharif and added… “I think Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together… Right?”
Sharif’s awkward smile and forced nod that moment… He was caught off guard! He literally tried to process…. Wait… did Donald Trump just praise Modi and taunt me at the same time?
India’s silent diplomacy flexed… everywhere, even without a physical presence.
But Sharif didn’t just stand there…. He tried to take control… He jumped in… praised Trump as a “man of peace”, talked Nobel Peace Prize nominations… Basically, tried to make it about Pakistan. Meanwhile, it was like watching someone try to dance while everyone else was performing a choreographed routine. Absolute chaos.
And then… the unexpected comedy. Trump turned to Italian PM Meloni and said… “You’re beautiful. Incredible. I hope that’s not sexist”. Meloni smiled politely. Cameras flashed. Audience collectively cringed.
At this point, the summit was less about Gaza and more about “Trump Reality Show Live”. But behind the cameras….. Erdogan threatened to walk out if Netanyahu showed up. Some invitations came late…. PM Modi skipped. Israel and Hamas didn’t attend. And the rest? They were all there, but motives varied… some genuinely for peace, some for visibility, some for political PR. Basically, the summit was 30% policy, 70% ‘who’s on stage and who’s being awkward’.
And now we’re talking that 30% policy…
The summit was centered around a 20-point Gaza Peace Plan… ceasefire agreements, hostages released, prisoner swaps, partial Israeli withdrawals, and reconstruction plans for Gaza.
They proposed creating the Gaza International Transitional Authority (GITA)… a temporary body to oversee governance while an Arab-led peacekeeping force helps with security and demilitarization. Alongside that, the International Stabilization Force (ISF) would train local police and maintain security…. basically setting up a new framework for Gaza’s governance without sparking another war.
Through all the awkward smiles, photo ops, and grandstanding, India stayed calm. We didn’t shout. We didn’t do drama. Our envoy stayed poised, attended bilateral meetings, and still… India’s presence was felt. Lesson? Sometimes, quiet diplomacy speaks louder than the loudest speeches.
So yes, the Gaza Summit in Egypt was supposed to be about ending a war… But in reality, it was awkward smiles, dramatic gestures, and subtle flexes. And India? As mentioned above… We proved again… that you don’t need the spotlight to be the story.
Drama, politics, subtle power moves… that’s the reality of global diplomacy, and watching it unfold was honestly entertaining…
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