New Delhi:
Qatar and India have agreed today to elevate their ties to a strategic partnership and an agreement in this regard was exchanged between the two nations. The decision was announced after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani in New Delhi.
The two leaders held wide-ranging bilateral talks at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. The focus of the meeting was on enhancing trade, investment, technology, energy, food security, culture, and people-to-people ties. The two sides discussed the potential of a free trade agreement and also planned on doubling their trade to $28 billion within five years.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that energy security was also discussed during the meeting with a focus on how to broaden it. Another key area of cooperation that figured in the talks was finance, with both sides agreeing to avoid double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income. An agreement in this regard was exchanged between the two sides.
Besides bilateral talks, the two leaders also discussed regional and global issues of mutual interest, the foreign ministry added.
“India-Qatar, further cementing the deep & traditional relationship. PM @narendramodi & HH Sheikh @TamimbinHamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar held wide-ranging talks at Hyderabad House today. Both leaders decided to elevate India-Qatar relations to a Strategic Partnership with focus on trade, energy, investments, innovation, technology, food security, culture & people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
The Emir of Qatar had arrived in New Delhi for his two-day visit on Monday evening. Breaking protocol and extending a rare gesture of hospitality, Prime Minister Modi received the Emir at the airport, welcoming him with a warm handshake and a hug.
The Emir’s visit to India came almost a year after PM Modi visited the Gulf nation in February 2024. He is being accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials and business leaders.
Before his meeting with PM Modi, the Emir of Qatar was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan as President Droupadi Murmu welcomed the visiting leader.
