NEW DELHI, Feb 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday signed a significant agreement to elevate India-Qatar relations to a Strategic Partnership. This new partnership will focus on areas such as trade, energy, investments, innovation, technology, food security, culture, and people-to-people ties.
The two leaders held extensive discussions at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, exchanging views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. The meeting also resulted in the exchange of agreements, including one on the avoidance of double taxation and fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
The Amir, accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, senior officials, and a business group, received a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. In the evening, he will hold discussions with President Droupadi Murmu, who will host a banquet in his honor.
Prime Minister Modi welcomed the Amir in a special gesture, personally receiving him at the Air Force Station in Palam on Monday evening, marking his second visit to India after March 2015. Modi expressed his hopes for fruitful talks and referred to the Amir as a “brother” on social media.
The Amir expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and acknowledged India as one of Qatar’s most important economic partners. The signing ceremony also saw the presence of key figures from Qatar, including Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, and other senior officials such as the Minister of State for Energy Affairs, Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi.
India-Qatar relations have been growing stronger over the years, particularly in trade, investment, energy, technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges. High-level interactions between both countries have been consistent, with the Amir’s last visit to India in 2015 followed by PM Modi’s visits to Doha in 2016 and 2024. In addition, both leaders have met several times on the sidelines of global events, including the COP28 Summit and the UN General Assembly.
The Indian community in Qatar, which forms the largest expatriate group in the country, plays a crucial role in contributing to Qatar’s progress and development. The recent visit of the Amir is expected to further strengthen this multifaceted partnership.
India’s relations with Gulf countries, including Qatar, have been a major focus of PM Modi’s foreign policy. Relations with the Middle East have grown significantly over the past decade, with India fostering stronger ties with countries such as the UAE, Kuwait, and others. Notably, PM Modi’s visit to Kuwait in December marked the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 43 years, underlining the deepening economic and trade cooperation in the region.
