Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to the Indian diaspora during his visit to Qatar, following a brief tour of the UAE. This marked his second visit to Qatar since June 2016, a nation that hosts approximately 840,000 Indian residents. Arriving in Doha late Wednesday, Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian community, as depicted in images shared on social media.
Highlighting the significance of the Indian community in Qatar, Modi underscored the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations. Upon arrival, he was greeted by Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, and later engaged in discussions with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, focusing on enhancing bilateral relations.
The fruitful exchange encompassed avenues for strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including trade, investment, energy, and finance. Additionally, Modi is slated to meet with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to deliberate on bilateral, regional, and global matters of mutual interest.
With bilateral trade currently valued at around $20 billion, Qatar holds significance as a notable investor in India across diverse sectors. The timing of Modi’s visit is noteworthy, particularly following the release of eight former Indian Navy personnel detained in Qatar on espionage charges. Originally sentenced to death, their sentences were commuted to varying prison terms by a Qatari appellate court in December last year.
