Qatar and India have reinforced their economic partnership by signing several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during Sheikh Tamim’s New Delhi visit, to strengthen private-sector collaboration, boost cross-border investments, and enhance bilateral ties, focusing on sustainability, entrepreneurship, energy, emerging technologies.
The high-profile visit of Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to India began with an extraordinary reception on Monday, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally welcomed him with a warm hug at New Delhi’s Palam Technical Airport, a rare diplomatic gesture.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was also present and described the reception as a “special gesture for a special friend,” highlighting the visit’s significance in strengthening bilateral ties.
Modi later took to X, referring to the Amir as “my brother” and expressing optimism about their discussions.
On Tuesday morning, the India-Qatar Joint Business Forum, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), served as the platform for the MoU signings.
The event was attended by the Amir of Qatar, Indian Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani.
The newly signed agreements include a partnership between the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) and CII to enhance private-sector collaboration, and another between Invest Qatar and Invest India to facilitate cross-border investments.
Goyal also announced the elevation of the bilateral Joint Working Group on trade to the ministerial level, signaling a commitment to deeper institutional engagement.
Addressing global economic shifts, Goyal underscored India’s focus on self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) while stressing the importance of leveraging comparative advantages.
He commended Qatar’s support for the Indian diaspora, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, noting, “We are two countries who can work together for a better future, for more prosperity and well-being of the people of both Qatar and India and Qatar has been really very welcoming to all the Indians who live there,” as reported by The Tribune
Looking ahead, Goyal identified sustainability, entrepreneurship, and energy as key pillars of the India-Qatar partnership, with plans to expand collaboration in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum computing.
He also highlighted India’s rapidly growing startup ecosystem as a promising avenue for Qatari investment, alongside shared goals in renewable energy and smart infrastructure.
The minister linked this collaboration to long-term national visions, stating that Qatar’s Vision 2030 and India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 would jointly shape a transformative economic trajectory.
“These three pillars will define how we work together in a changing world,” he remarked, pointing to evolving global trade dynamics and technological advancements.
Later, Sheikh Tamim and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held official talks at New Delhi’s Hyderabad House.
The session included a warm exchange, with Modi expressing gratitude for the visit and anticipating that it would open new horizons for cooperation across various strategic fields.
In response, the Amir thanked the Indian leadership for their hospitality, emphasising that India is one of Qatar’s most significant economic partners.
The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations, especially in the sectors of economy, investment and energy.
The leaders also witnessed the exchange of two pivotal agreements: one establishing a bilateral strategic partnership and another aimed at avoiding double taxation and preventing financial evasion related to income taxes.
Present at the exchange ceremony were several senior officials from both countries, including Qatari and Indian ministers, reflecting the high level of engagement between the two nations.
The Indian foreign minister S. Jaishankar also said on Tuesday that Qatar and India are targeting doubling their trade to $28b in the next five years and are exploring the signing of a free trade agreement, as reporred by Reuters.
