Written by YasheeNew Delhi | January 19, 2026 05:31 AM IST 4 min readTrump's disdain for the UN and other established international organisations is no secret. (Photo: AP)India was on Sunday invited to join the Donald Trump-led Board of Peace, meant to guide the peace process in Gaza. However, in the four months between its announcement and the invitation, the Board’s role seems to have mutated, and India, along with other countries, will have to face some tricky questions before they accept.Here’s what is known about the Board of Peace so far, and why some are calling it a ‘parallel UN’.What is the Board of Peace?In September last year, US President Donald Trump had proposed a 20-point peace plan for Gaza. Under it, Gaza was to be put under a “temporary transitional governance” of a “technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee”, responsible for delivering the day-to-day running of public services. This committee was to be supervised by a new international body, the “Board of Peace,” to be headed by Trump. Even then, many had pointed out that this effectively put the US President in charge of Gaza.The peace plan, and the Board of Peace as then envisioned, had received the United Nations’ approval.However, the ‘charter’ of the Board of Peace, which has now been sent to the leaders invited to join it, shows a far more ambitious role for the Board, under the chairmanship of Trump personally, not the US President.Invitations for membership have been sent to countries across the conventional geopolitical camps — Hungary, Albania, Greece, Canada, Turkey, Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, Paraguay, and Argentina have received letters. Pakistan said it had been invited before India’s invitation was reported.The countries who accept will get a tenure of three years, unless they pay $ 1 billion in cash in the first year of membership, in which case they become permanent members.Story continues below this adThe many questions about this Board of PeaceThe original mandate of the Board of Peace, as approved by the UN in November 2025, was to operate till the end of 2027, and neither a three-year membership nor a permanent membership were in the picture. Also, it was to operate only in Gaza.But the invitation letter sent to India and posted on X by US ambassador Sergio Gor says the Board of Peace, “the most impressive and consequential Board ever assembled”, will be “established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration”, and that the effort is not just to “solidify Peace in the Middle East”, but also “to embark on a bold new approach to resolving Global Conflict!”The full text of the charter, as verified and put out by the Times of Israel, shows it has 13 Articles, with details of membership, contributions, dispute redressal, etc, almost like the United Nations. The charter does not even mention Gaza, but talks of “the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed”, and emphasises “the need for a more nimble and effective international peace-building body.”Trump’s disdain for the UN and other established international organisations is no secret. He has cut funds to the UN and withdrawn the US from many related bodies.Story continues below this adAlso, the charter says the Board will work to “secure enduring peace” in areas not just affected by, but also “threatened by conflict”, without defining “threatened”.Then there is the matter of the Board’s chairman. The charter says: “Donald J. Trump shall serve as inaugural Chairman of the Board of Peace, and he shall separately serve as inaugural representative of the United States of America.” Also, the chairman can be removed only if he voluntarily resigns, or is voted incapable unanimously by the Executive Board full of his appointees, in which case a successor designated by him shall take over.To get the membership, a country has to consent “to be bound by this Charter.”Therefore, accepting the invite will mean that a sovereign nation becomes the member of an organisation of which Trump will remain the chairman even when he is not the US President.Story continues below this adThe Executive Board’s founding members are US Secretary of State Marco Rubio; US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff; Trump’s son-in-law and businessman Jared Kushner; former UK prime minister Tony Blair; American businessman Marc Rowan; World Bank Group president Ajay Banga; and US national security adviser Robert Gabriel.Some 60 nations seem to have been invited so far, with only Hungary announcing a definite acceptance.Yashee is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and she heads the Explained Desk. With over 12 years of experience in mainstream journalism, she specializes in translating intricate geopolitical shifts, legal frameworks, and historical narratives into accessible insight. Having started her career with Hindustan Times and later contributing to India Today (DailyO), Yashee brings a veteran’s perspective to contemporary analysis. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the historic Presidency College, Kolkata, and a postgraduate diploma from the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai. Her work provides readers with the deep context needed to navigate a complex world. ... Read More © IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Explained GlobalExpress Explained