Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed concern over the government’s decision to send junior External Affairs Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh to represent India at a high-profile peace summit in Egypt, where leaders from 20 nations are expected to convene to discuss ending the war in Gaza. Among the attendees at the Sharm el-Sheikh Peace Summit are Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, US President Donald Trump, who has taken credit for brokering the ceasefire and hostage exchange, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Although an invitation was extended to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his decision not to attend the summit “stands in stark contrast” to that of other global leaders making the journey to Egypt, Tharoor noted on the social media platform X.
“Strategic restraint or missed opportunity?” he asked, admitting he was “puzzled” by the choice to forgo participation at a critical security dialogue held in India’s neighbourhood.
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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. Strategic restraint or missed opportunity?
This is no reflection on Kirti Vardhan Singh, whose competence is not in…
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 13, 2025
“This is no reflection on Kirti Vardhan Singh, whose competence is not in question. But, given the galaxy of grandees present, India’s choice could be seen as signalling a preference for strategic distance our statements don’t convey,” said Tharoor, himself a former junior External Affairs Minister.
The summit, hosted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh, will be co-chaired by al-Sisi and Donald Trump and aims to forge a lasting resolution to the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Earlier today, 20 hostages taken during Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 were freed in two groups, the first comprising seven individuals handed over to Red Cross officials, and the second consisting of 13 more. In parallel, Israel released several Palestinian detainees from a prison in the West Bank.
Tharoor’s remarks come at a time when his position within the Congress party remains ambiguous. His critique has been interpreted as contradictory to recent favourable comments he made about Prime Minister Modi, remarks that have reportedly caused discomfort within the party and pushed his standing to a tipping point.
Tensions between Tharoor and the Congress leadership have persisted since 2021, when he aligned with the so-called G-23, a group of internal dissenters questioning the Gandhis’ leadership.
The Congress party has already voiced disapproval over Tharoor’s appreciative remarks about the Prime Minister, particularly after Modi was selected to brief partner nations on developments related to Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor.
Although Tharoor did meet Rahul Gandhi in an attempt to ease tensions, the meeting appears to have yielded little progress.
Asked about his current relationship with the party, Tharoor stated he has remained committed to its principles for the past 16 years.
He also strongly rejected rumours of a shift to the BJP, clarifying that his praise for Prime Minister Modi should not be misinterpreted. “It is not a sign of my leaping to join the Prime Minister’s party… as some people have been implying,” he clarified, following his reference to Modi’s “dynamism.”
