PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday thanked Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin HamadAl-Thani for the release of eight Indian nationals, who were sentenced to death after being arrested here in August 2022. Modi held wide-ranging talks with the Qatari Emir primarily focusing on significantly expanding India-Qatar ties in areas of trade, energy, investment and new technology. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said at a media briefing that Modi thanked the Emir for his support for the welfare of the Indian community in the Gulf nation.

 

“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 of AlDahra company. We are extremely gratified to see them back in India,” Kwatra said. Modi arrived in this Qatari capital city last night after concluding a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates. The Navy veterans were on October 26 given death sentences by Qatar’s Court of First Instance. The Court of Appeal in the Gulf nation on December28 commuted the capital punishment and sentenced themto jail terms for varying durations.

 

In December, PrimeMinister Modi met the Qatari Amir on the sidelines of theCOP28 Summit in Dubai anddiscussed the “well-being of the Indian community” inQatar. The former Indian Navypersonnel apparently facedcharges of espionage, but neither the Qatari authorities norNew Delhi made the chargesagainst them public. Kwatra said the discussionsbetween Modi and the Emirfocused on a wide range of areas of bilateral cooperationincluding trade partnership, investment cooperation andenergy ties. The two leadersspoke about the need for strategic investments and strategicpartnerships in the fields of energy and technology, he said. The Foreign Secretary saidModi’s visit to Doha laid thebasis for taking India-Qatarrelationship to a much higherlevel across various domains, the two sides are looking at using investment as a vehicleto build long-term strategicpartnership.