Opinion Express View on Qatar Amir’s visit: India’s West Asia outreach
Over the years, PM Modi has been consistent in his efforts to maintain a personal rapport with the ruling class of the Gulf countries.
Diplomatic ties were tested in August 2022, when eight former Indian Navy personnel were arrested in Qatar on espionage charges. 
The visit of Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, to India comes at a crucial time, as New Delhi seeks to strengthen its energy security and deepen ties with West Asian nations amid conflict and instability in the region. The significance of this partnership is evident from the fact that, in just over nine months of the Narendra Modi government’s current term, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has visited Qatar thrice. As per their joint statement released on February 18, India and Qatar have agreed to elevate their ties to a “strategic partnership”, double bilateral trade from $14 billion to $28 billion over the next five years, and facilitate $10 billion in Qatari investments in India. Both governments inked two pacts and five MoUs, covering areas like economic cooperation, youth affairs and double taxation avoidance.
Over the years, PM Modi has been consistent in his efforts to maintain a personal rapport with the ruling class of the Gulf countries. Amir Al-Thani’s visit and the resulting deals signify the strategic importance of Qatar, which has become a key energy supplier, particularly of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), with India sourcing nearly half of its supplies from the Gulf nation. In February 2024, QatarEnergy and India’s Petronet LNG signed their largest-ever LNG supply deal for a 20-year period. Doha also plays an important role as a mediator in regional and global conflicts, including the Israel-Hamas conflict and US-Taliban negotiations. With over 8,00,000 Indians living and working in Qatar, forming its largest expatriate community and contributing significantly to sectors like construction, healthcare, and services, the country, for all practical purposes, is part of India’s extended neighbourhood in West Asia.
Diplomatic ties were tested in August 2022, when eight former Indian Navy personnel were arrested in Qatar on espionage charges. Initially sentenced to death, their punishments were commuted following Delhi’s diplomatic efforts, leading to their release. Seven of the eight have since returned to India, while Commander Purnendu Tiwari remains in Qatar due to his case reportedly being sub-judice. Delhi must seize the current moment to press for his return. On the trade front, India was among Qatar’s top three export destinations in 2023. The two countries have also explored the possibility of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). An FTA is likely to offer Indian exporters — especially in pharmaceuticals, IT services, textiles, and agriculture — easier access to the Qatari market. India should, however, err on the side of caution, if tariff reductions lead to an influx of cheaper Qatari imports, worsening Delhi’s trade deficit with Doha. Other concerns include anti-India narratives propagated by certain Qatar-based media outlets and support for religious extremism in India. Addressing these issues will take this partnership to greater heights.
Share
