Relevance: GS II (International Relations – Global Groupings) | Source: The Hindu / Indian Express

1. The Context: A New Role for India

In a significant geopolitical move, US President Donald Trump has formally invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to join a newly proposed “Board of Peace.”

  • The Goal: This body acts as a “transitional administration” to oversee the reconstruction and governance of the Gaza Strip following the conflict that began in October 2023.
  • The Coalition: It is a non-traditional grouping. Apart from India, invitations have been sent to Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Canada, signalling an attempt to bring diverse regional stakeholders together.

2. What is the “Board of Peace”?

  • Origin: The concept stems from a comprehensive “20-point roadmap” (announced in Sept 2025) to resolve the Gaza crisis.
  • Mandate: Unlike the United Nations, which is often deadlocked, this Board is envisioned as an agile, action-oriented body to manage the post-war reality on the ground.
  • Status: The plan reportedly received backing from the UN Security Council (UNSC) in November, giving it some international legitimacy.

3. Strategic Analysis: The “UN Bypass”

  • The Shift: Experts view this as a classic case of “Minilateralism.” The US is effectively bypassing the slow bureaucracy of the UN to create a “Coalition of the Willing” to solve a specific problem.
  • India’s Dilemma:
    • The Opportunity: Joining validates India’s role as a “Vishwaguru” (Global Leader) and a key voice in West Asia.
    • The Risk: It challenges the centrality of the UN. India has traditionally supported the UN framework; joining a US-led parallel body might upset the balance with the Global South.

UPSC Value Box

Concept / Term

Relevance for Prelims
Minilateralism A diplomatic trend where small, focused groups of countries (like Quad, I2U2, or this Board of Peace) form to address specific issues, bypassing larger, inefficient multilateral bodies like the UN or WTO.
De-hyphenation Policy India’s strategy in West Asia, where it maintains independent relationships with Israel and Palestine (or Arab nations) without letting one relationship dictate the other.

Q. In the context of international relations, the term “Minilateralism” is best described as:

  1. A policy of complete non-alignment and isolation from global trade blocs.
  2. An approach where small, task-oriented coalitions of nations address specific challenges, often bypassing larger multilateral institutions.
  3. A United Nations mandate aimed at reducing the military expenditure of developing nations.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 and 3 only

Correct Answer: (b)

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