On April 17, 2026, India formally welcomed the 10-day ceasefire announced between Israel and Lebanon, characterising it as a positive step in a fraught regional environment. Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: "We welcome the ceasefire. We welcome every step that leads towards peace." The cessation of hostilities was announced after diplomatic mediation by the United States and went into effect to enable a 10-day window of peace negotiations between Lebanon and Israel — a development the United States State Department also confirmed in a parallel release on the "Ten-Day Cessation of Hostilities to Enable Peace Negotiations Between Israel and Lebanon." India's response is consistent with its long-standing position favouring diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation in West Asia, while continuing to maintain robust ties with both Israel and Arab states. The MEA briefing also addressed Israel's request that India designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation, with the spokesperson responding that such matters are dealt with through India's established legal and procedural frameworks. The ceasefire context is critical for India given the Strait of Hormuz energy chokepoint, the safety of nearly nine million Indians in West Asia, and ongoing evacuation operations from earlier rounds of regional conflict that have featured in MEA briefings through April 2026.