'Stronger and stronger': Prime Minister Modi and Qatari emir hold 'wonderful' talks on strengthening bilateral ties
Prime Minister Modi arrived from the UAE last night on his second visit to Qatar, days after Doha released the Indians in a major relief to New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday thank you Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the release of eight Indians previously on death row, even as the two leaders held extensive talks that paved the way to take bilateral ties to the next level, especially in the field of investments, energy and new technology.
After the talks at the majestic Amiri Palace in this Qatari capital, Modi described his meeting with the Emir as “great” and said bilateral ties are “getting stronger” and both countries look forward to working together in futuristic sectors that will benefit the planet.
VIDEO | Prime Minister Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha. pic.twitter.com/UMo75jitso
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 15, 2024
Modi arrived here from the United Arab Emirates last night on his second visit to Qatar, which came days after Doha released the Indians in a major relief to New Delhi.
Foreign Minister Vinay Kwatra said at a media briefing that the talks aimed to expand cooperation in key areas, increase convergence on regional issues, explore partnership in third countries and view overall ties from a strategic perspective instead of a transactional perspective.
The two leaders also discussed the need for strategic investments and strategic partnerships in the energy field and to go beyond the buyer-seller relationship in this area.
Prime Minister Modi also thanked the Emir for his support for the welfare of the Indian community in the Gulf state, he said.
“The Prime Minister thanked the Emir for his support for the welfare of the Indian community, and in this regard expressed his deep appreciation to the Emir for the release of eight Indian nationals from the Al-Dahra company. We are extremely happy to see them back in India,” said Kwatra.
Seven of the eight Indians had returned to India on Monday after Qatar released them. The navy veterans were sentenced to death by Qatar's Court of First Instance on October 26. The Gulf State Court of Appeal commuted the death penalty to prison sentences of varying lengths on December 28.
The former Indian Navy personnel were apparently charged with espionage, but neither Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against them public.
Kwatra said Modi's “very successful visit” paved the way for taking ties to a much higher level in a number of areas and exploring engagement in new areas such as space, technology and innovation.
“Had a wonderful meeting with HH Sheikh @TamimBinHamad. We examined the full range of India-Qatar relations and discussed ways to deepen cross-sector cooperation. Our countries also look forward to working together in futuristic sectors that will benefit our planet,” Modi said on 'X'.
“My visit to Qatar has revived the friendship between India and Qatar. India looks forward to scaling up cooperation in key sectors of trade, investment, technology and culture. “I thank the government and people of Qatar for their hospitality,” he said.
“India-Qatar ties are getting stronger and stronger!” Modi said in another post, along with photos of the ceremonial welcome accorded him in Doha.
Modi was given a ceremonial welcome at the Amiri Palace upon his arrival this morning. Afterwards, both sides held delegation-level and limited talks.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Modi-Hamad discussions covered a wide range of issues, including economic cooperation, investments, energy partnership, space cooperation, urban infrastructure, cultural ties and people-to-people ties.
It said the two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues. It is clear that the situation in Gaza played a role in the talks.
“The Prime Minister thanked the Amir for his concern for the over eight lakh strong Indian community in Qatar and conveyed India's commitment to further expand and deepen bilateral cooperation with Qatar. He invited Amir for an early visit to India,” the MEA said in a statement.
It said the emir reciprocated Modi's sentiments and expressed appreciation for India's role as a valued partner in the Gulf region.
The MEA said the Emir also appreciated the contributions of the vibrant Indian community to the development of Qatar and their enthusiastic participation in various international events in Qatar.
The talks were followed by a banquet lunch at the Amiri Palace organized in honor of Modi.
In his remarks, Kwatra said the Prime Minister's visit to Qatar aimed to consolidate the broad partnership in various areas of economic cooperation and build on the achievements of his visit to the country in 2016, with an overarching emphasis on what the two countries can reach. in the future.
He said both sides have strong energy security and partnership, but the endeavor now would be to view the cooperation from a strategic point of view, which would include renewable energy sources, green energy, clean energy supply chains, technology and innovations in the energy space, and not just pure energy trading.
Kwatra said the aim would be to broaden the trade package and build new trade markets, taking into account regional trade.
Modi also met Qatar's father Emir and congratulated him for his visionary leadership that paved the way for Qatar's development over the decades and laid a strong foundation for the India-Qatar partnership, Kwatra said.
Father Emir affirmed that India and Qatar share an unwavering bond, epitomized by mutual trust and cooperation, Kwatra said.
Father Emir also appreciated the role of the Indian community in developing and nurturing bilateral partnerships.
Shortly after arriving in Doha last night, Modi met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Abdulrahman is also Qatar's Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Trade and energy ties between India and Qatar are on the rise.
Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, accounting for more than 48 percent of India's global LNG imports.
India's Petronet has extended a contract to buy 7.5 million tonnes of LNG annually from Qatar for a period of 20 years from 2029. It is being billed as the world's largest ever expansion of super-cooled fuel.
The original 25-year agreement was signed in 1999 and deliveries began in 2004.
India-Qatar cooperation has been steadily growing in various sectors in recent years.
Prime Minister Modi made his first visit to Doha in June 2016.
The visit provided an opportunity for both sides to cooperate at the highest level and give new impetus to bilateral ties. It was India's highest visit to Qatar since then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit in November 2008.
(Only the headline was reworked by India.Com staff. The copy is from an agency feed)