News Highlights:
- Diplomatic relations between India and Qatar: India-Qatar to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2023.
- Union Minister, Ministry Ports, Shipping & Waterways had discussions on various policies and programs initiating progress in the transportation facilities between two borders with the Minister of Transport of State of Qatar in New Delhi.
- Fruitful discussions were held on a commitment to strengthen the bilateral maritime cooperation, including the interaction between Indian Ports and Qatari Ports to share best practices in areas of port operations, logistics, supply chain management, and digitalization.
Key takeaway:
India-Qatar cooperation in diverse sectors has been steadily growing in an excellent framework provided by historically close ties and regular and substantive engagement.
India-Qatar Relations:
- History:
- Diplomatic relations between India and Qatar were established in 1973.
- During a visit made by Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in March 2015, five MoUs entailing cooperation in several fields were signed.
- Additionally, an agreement on prisoner repatriation was made.
- According to this agreement, citizens of India or Qatar convicted and sentenced for a crime can be deported to their native country to spend the remaining years of their prison sentence.
- Economic Relations:
- India is regarded as the State of Qatar’s fourth-largest export market.
- India’s bilateral trade with Qatar in 2021-22 was US$ 15.03 billion.
- In the banking industry, relations between India and Qatar are also good.
- LNG, LPG, chemicals and petrochemicals, plastics, and products made of aluminium are among Qatar’s major exports to India.
- Cereals, copper, iron, steel goods, vegetables, plastics, building supplies, textiles, and clothing are among India’s major exports to Qatar.
- Due to the drop in gas and oil prices on the global market during the last few years, there has been a noticeable reduction in trade volume between the two nations.
- Defence:
- Defence cooperation is an important pillar of our bilateral agenda. India offers training slots in its defence institutions to several partner countries, including Qatar.
- India regularly participates in Qatar’s biennial Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX).
- Indian Naval and Coast Guard ships regularly visit Qatar as part of our bilateral cooperation and interaction.
- Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea) is a joint exercise between the Qatari Emiri Navy and the Indian Navy.
- India-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed during the PM’s visit to Qatar in November 2008 and extended for five years in November 2018. The agreement was implemented through the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC), which held its fifth meeting in Doha.
- Covid cooperation:
- Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) sent Covid medical relief material to India to combat the second wave of Covid-19 by special Amiri Air force plane.
- Qatar Airways transported medical aid from across the globe to India for free.
- Qatar Petroleum (QP) filled Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) in cryogenic tankers shipped through various Indian Naval Ships to India.
- Indian community in Qatar too contributed in a big way to sending oxygen-related material to India.
- Indian diaspora:
- The Indian community is the largest expatriate group in Qatar, estimated to be around 700 million people.
- They are making their contribution in different sectors. Indians are highly respected in Qatar for their sincerity, hard work, technical expertise and law-abiding nature.
- Indians are employed in almost every local establishment, governmental or private, in various capacities.
- Remittances:
- An estimated 750 million dollars in remittances are sent to India annually by the Indian Indian diaspora in Qatar.
- Cultural Relations:
- According to the 2012 Agreement on Cultural Cooperation provisions, there are frequent cultural exchanges between the two parties. Indian culture’s diversity is admired in Qatar.
- According to the Joint Statement published during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Qatar, 2019 was observed as the India-Qatar Year of Culture.
Way Forward:
- Besides projects involving gas and fertiliser, Qatar aims to invest in India’s infrastructure, which includes buildings for hotels, airports, ports, economic corridors, roads, highways, and motorways.
- India anticipates direct investment in the production and manufacture of liquefied natural gas and chemical sectors, particularly the petrochemical, fertiliser, and urea industries.
Pic Courtesy: Pixabay
Content Source: PIB