The United States has invited India and Pakistan to join President Donald Trump’s proposed Board of Peace, which Washington has described as a global initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts, initially focusing on Gaza.

It was not clear whether New Delhi has agreed to join the initiative.

A contribution of $1 billion secures permanent membership on the board instead of a three-year appointment, AP reported quoting an unidentified US official. The three-year appointment does not require any contribution.

The Board of Peace will be part of the second phase of a US-backed ceasefire proposal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. A United Nations Security Council resolution in November authorised the Board of Peace to oversee Gaza at least until the end of 2027.

Trump has extended invitations to about 60 countries, Al Jazeera reported. This includes Turkey, Egypt, Argentina, Indonesia, Italy, Morocco, Britain, Germany, Canada and Australia.

Sharing Trump’s letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media on Sunday, the US ambassador to New Delhi, Sergio Gor, said that the board “will support effective governance to achieve stability and prosperity”.

In the letter dated Friday, Trump said the board was a “critically historic and magnificent effort to solidify peace” in West Asia and to embark on a “bold new approach to resolving global conflict”.

The US president also said that the initiative “will be established as a new International Organization and Transitional Governing Administration”.

“Our effort will bring together a distinguished group of nations ready to shoulder the noble responsibility of building LASTING PEACE, an honour reserved for those prepared to lead by example, and brilliantly invest in a secure and prosperous future for generations to come,” the letter added.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also received an invitation from Trump to join the board, a spokesperson for the country’s foreign ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters on Sunday.

“Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions,” the statement added.

According to a draft charter of the Board of Peace obtained by The Times of Israel, the preamble declares that “durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common-sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed”.

Participating countries would initially serve three-year terms without a financial contribution. However, countries seeking permanent membership will be required to contribute more than $1 billion within a year, which would be used to fund the board’s activities.

The initiative would be chaired by Trump and supported by a multi-tier structure, including a Palestinian technocratic body tasked with administering Gaza, alongside an international security arrangement, Al Jazeera reported.

The Executive Board members of the peace initiative include US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, billionaire businessman Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, according to Al Jazeera.

Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on besieged Gaza since then, leaving more than 67,000 persons dead.

Trump’s peace plan was approved by the United Nations Security Council in November, with Russia and China abstaining over concerns about the lack of clarity on how the Board of Peace would function and whether it would pave the way for Palestinian statehood.