Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. | Photo credit: ANI
A day after an Indian diplomat attended the first meeting of the Gaza Peace Committee in Washington DC, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was there as an “observer”.
In addition, the ministry’s official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s stance on the Palestinian issue, saying that India stands for a “sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders”.
“India attended the Peace Council meeting in Washington DC as an observer. India supported President Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan initiative and ongoing efforts as a result of UNSC Resolution 2803,” Mr. Jaiswal said in response to a question about India’s presence at the meeting. India was represented by Namgya Khampa, Deputy Head of Mission of the Indian Embassy in Washington DC.
Mr. Jaiswal explained India’s numerous moves in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the past few days, which have gained sharper attention due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned visit to Israel on February 25-26.
Earlier this week, India decided not to participate in a joint appearance by member countries at the United Nations (UN), which criticized Israel for its continued expansion of settlements in the West Bank. India initially did not sign the declaration critical of Israel, which was supported by 85 member states. However, more than 24 hours later, India signed a statement read by the Palestinian ambassador to the UN on February 17, criticizing the Israeli government for its settlement expansion policy in the West Bank.
Israel’s recent decisions asking existing Palestinian land owners in the West Bank for proof of their ownership and making it easier for foreign settlers to acquire land in the enclave have drawn strong condemnation from many quarters, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
On Friday (February 20, 2026), Mr Jaiswal said India had reiterated its position on Palestine on numerous occasions, including most recently during the India-Arab League ministerial meeting in New Delhi, when India and the Arab League agreed on a “sovereign, independent and viable state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, living side by side in peace with Israel”.
“Accordingly, we have joined this initiative, keeping in mind the concerns that the statement addresses,” Mr. Jaiswal said, explaining India’s decision to sign the document more than 24 hours later.
“More than 100 states and international organizations have joined a statement condemning Israel’s unilateral actions and rejecting the annexation,” the Palestinian government announced late on February 18, saying Israel’s settlement policy “violates international law.”
Published – 20 Feb 2026 22:08 IST