WATCH: Trump, Shehbaz Share Animated Chat At Gaza Peace Summit As Tharoor Flags ‘Missed Opportunity’ For India

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<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>Pakistan Prime Minister </span><span class=”cf0″>Shehbaz</span><span class=”cf0″> Sharif shared an animated exchange with US President Donald Trump</span><span class=”cf0″>&nbsp;at the Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit in Egypt on Monday. The summit, co-hosted by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, brought together global leaders to discuss the recent Gaza ceasefire and ways to </span><span class=”cf0″>stabilise</span><span class=”cf0″> the Middle East.</span></p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>A powerful moment at the <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/PeaceInGaza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#PeaceInGaza</a> Summit!<br />Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Donald Trump share a warm handshake. 🇵🇰🤝🇺🇸<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Palestine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Palestine</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gaza?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Gaza</a> <a href=”https://t.co/HXN8eB6wdL”>pic.twitter.com/HXN8eB6wdL</a></p>
&mdash; Sidra Aslam🇵🇰 (@SidraAslamOff) <a href=”https://twitter.com/SidraAslamOff/status/1977775318568984883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>While Sharif and Trump&rsquo;s interaction caught attention internationally, India&rsquo;s decision to send only Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh drew criticism from Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.</span></p>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>Tharoor questioned whether India&rsquo;s limited representation reflected &ldquo;strategic restraint or a missed opportunity&rdquo; at such a high-level forum. In a post on X, he wrote, &ldquo;Given the galaxy of grandees present, India&rsquo;s choice could be seen as </span><span class=”cf0″>signalling</span><span class=”cf0″> a preference for strategic distance, which our statements don&rsquo;t convey.&rdquo; He also noted that India&rsquo;s influence on discussions about Gaza&rsquo;s reconstruction and regional stability may be limited due to protocol access.</span></p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>India&rsquo;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. Strategic restraint or missed opportunity?<br /><br />This is no reflection on Kirti Vardhan Singh, whose competence is not in&hellip;</p>
&mdash; Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ShashiTharoor/status/1977699009704894972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the Gaza ceasefire on X, praising the release of all hostages and acknowledging the peace efforts of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.</span></p>
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<p dir=”ltr” lang=”en”>We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity. Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump&rsquo;s sincere&hellip;</p>
&mdash; Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href=”https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1977724045358416382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>The summit includes leaders such as Qatar&rsquo;s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, UK PM Keir </span><span class=”cf0″>Starmer</span><span class=”cf0″>, French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkey&rsquo;s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Italian PM </span><span class=”cf0″>Giorgia</span> <span class=”cf0″>Meloni</span><span class=”cf0″>, Jordan&rsquo;s King Abdullah II, and UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres.</span></p>
<p class=”pf0″><span class=”cf0″>The Sharm El-Sheikh Peace Summit aims to consolidate the Gaza ceasefire, strengthen regional stability, and create a platform for long-term peace, while India&rsquo;s lower-level representation has sparked debate over its diplomatic impact.</span></p>
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