India-Qatar ties witness resurrection as PM Modi goes step ahead for ‘brother’ Amir Sheikh Tamim

India and Qatar are set to further strengthen their ties, with key meetings between the leaders of both countries scheduled for Tuesday focused on trade and the energy sector.

New Delhi places the highest priority on Doha, evident in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's unprecedented move to personally receive Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at the airport on Monday night.

This was a "special gesture" for a "special friend" from the prime minister for Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim, who is visiting India for the first time in over a decade.

The last time Sheikh Tamim visited India was in 2015.

"Welcome my brother," the prime minister said as both leaders embraced each other smilingly, with cameras capturing every moment of their camaraderie.

Sheikh Tamim is accompanied by a high-level delegation, including ministers, senior officials, and a business delegation.

With PM Modi's meeting scheduled with Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim today, the two sides are expected to finalise agreements in the trade and energy sectors, according to sources familiar with the visit.

Qatar holds immense significance for India's geopolitical strategy, considering the Taliban's political office is located in the country's capital, Doha, which also serves as a home for several Taliban leaders.

Any outreach to the Taliban must go through Qatar. Sheikh Tamim's visit to India is significant, considering a rift in relations between the two countries two years ago over the death sentence awarded to eight Indian Navy veterans in Qatar.

However, following high-level intervention, the death penalty of all eight men was later reversed, leading to their eventual release. While seven of the eight returned to India on February 12 last year, Indian Navy Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retd) remains in Qatar, and there is still no clarity on when he will return.

On Sunday (February 16), the seven naval personnel who are part of Tiwari's group appealed to PM Modi and Qatar Amir Al-Thani, stating they "look forward to a constructive deliberation to facilitate the return of our colleague."

In a statement released ahead of Sheikh Tamim's visit, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that ties between the two countries, including in the areas of trade, investment, energy, technology, culture, and people-to-people relations, have continued to strengthen.

"The visit of the Amir will provide further momentum to our growing multifaceted partnership," the MEA said.

The bilateral trade between India and Qatar is estimated at 14.08 billion annually. The balance of trade continues to be heavily in Qatar's favor. However, there has been a substantial growth in India's exports to Qatar in recent years.

Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India, accounting for over 48 per cent of India's global LNG imports. Qatar is also India's largest supplier of LPG, accounting for 29 percent of India's total LPG imports. Besides LNG, India also imports ethylene, propylene, ammonia, urea, and polyethylene from Qatar.

India's key exports to Qatar include cereals, copper articles, iron and steel articles, vegetables, fruits, spices, and processed food products, electrical and other machinery, plastic products, construction material, textiles and garments, chemicals, precious stones, and rubber.

India is among the top three largest export destinations for Qatar.

On Tuesday, Sheikh Tamim was given a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi present.