Details of India-Qatar strategic partnership

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The Hindu

Qatar which is a major energy supplier to India on Tuesday (February 18, 2025) signed an agreement to elevate India-Qatar relationship to the level of a strategic partnership, officials here informed. The Ministry of External Affairs announced that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the visiting Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani discussed multiple issues including the unfolding Israel-Palestinian conflict in Gaza Strip and added that the two sides are also exploring the option of concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

“Strategic partnership elevates the present state of bilateral relation to the strategic level. We are looking at deepening cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, energy, security as well as in the regional and international fora,” said Arun Kumar Chatterjee, secretary (CPV&OIA) while briefing the media following the bilateral discussion between the two sides. Apart from that, the two sides also signed a double taxation avoidance treaty.

India has signed strategic partnerships with Kuwait, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia within the Gulf Cooperation Council member states. The official also confirmed that the situation in the West Asian region featured in the official talks saying, “both sides conveyed their mutual positions on Israel-Hamas issue. India conveyed its own position, the Qatari side conveyed their own position.”

The visit of the Qatari Amir has drawn attention as it is being held just two days prior to the five Arab states summit in the Saudi capital Riyadh which will take up the new proposals from the United States following the arrival of President Donald Trump. President Trump’s proposal on the Gaza crisis has drawn attention because of the argument that the Palestinians of the region should be shifted out to neighbouring countries like Egypt and Jordan. India has not so far made its position on this new approach. MEA officials also avoided giving a clear answer to this approach which has drawn criticism as it would tantamount to ethnic cleansing.

India supports two-state solution in bringing an end to the Israel-Palestinian crisis and had welcomed the ceasefire that was announced shortly before the swearing-in ceremony of President Trump on January 20, 2025..

Thirty-eight Qatari entities representing retail, food processing, hospitality, finance and energy sector participataed in the deliberations where the two sides resolved to double bilateral trade to $28 billion. The visit also gave the two sides to deal with a difficult issue as a former commander of the Indian Navy Purnendu Tiwary continues to remain in Qatari control though seven other prisoners who were detained in the same case in 2022 were repatriated in February 2024. Mr Chatterjee informed that the Indian diaspora is the largest working force in Qatar and that at present around 600 Indians are in Qatari prisons. ”About 85 Indians have received such pardons during 2024,” said Mr Chatterjee highlighting that Qatar has the provision of granting pardon

“His matter still remains subjudice in the local courts,” said Mr Chatterjee elaborating on the condition of Commander Tiwary. The Hindu had reported on Monday that the seven former Indian navy officials who returned in February 2024 has written to the Qatari authorities seek repatriation of Commander Tiwary.

“India and GCC are negotiating about having an FTA. Both India and Qatar are (also) exploring the signing of a FTA in the future,” said Mr Chatterjee announcing that India is considering going ahead with a bilateral FTA with Qatar as discussion for an India-GCC FTA continues. .The Indian side also said that the strategic partnership between the two sides would also have a security component, though a clear timeline for such a process was not clearly articulated. The Qatari side participated in a Joint Business Forum which drew participation of top business entities of Qatari and Indian sides.