At the invitation of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, HE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar undertook an official visit to India from 2-3 December, 2016.
HE the Prime Minister of Qatar was accompanied by senior Ministers, including Finance, Transport & Communication and Municipality & Environment, apart from the CEOs of Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Qatar Airways as also Deputy CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and several key captains of Industry.
The visit is significant as it comes in the context of efforts to review progress made on key tracks of the bilateral relationship to build on the agreements reached during the visit of the Prime Minister of India, Sh Narendra Modi, to Qatar on 4-5 June 2016.
The two Prime Ministers had a delegation level meeting followed by a working lunch. During the talks, the two Prime Ministers reviewed the state of bilateral relations and exchanged views on ways and means to further expand and consolidate the close, multi-faceted relationship between the two countries, underpinned by age-old trade and people-to-people contacts.
The two Prime Ministers expressed satisfaction with the close ties of friendship and understanding between India and Qatar and reiterated their resolve to further strengthen cooperation in all fields.
They emphasised that all existing bilateral institutional mechanisms be convened regularly and steps be taken to push forward the bilateral agenda in an effective manner.
Both sides agreed to increase the level of participation in infrastructure development projects on either side and undertook to exchange information on available investment opportunities in a regular and timely manner.
It was agreed to expedite steps to put in place the necessary framework so that economic actors on both sides can take full advantage of the opportunities available, particularly in the area of infrastructure, special economic zones, civil aviation, energy, petrochemicals, health and pharmaceuticals, information technology, education, tourism and agriculture.
The two leaders also emphasized the need to take practical steps to build on the framework provided by the Agreement on Defence Cooperation signed in November 2008 by enhancing cooperation in the fields of specialized training, exchange of information and joint production of defence equipment.
The visit provided another opportunity for the two sides to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest, with particular reference to the security situation in West Asia, Middle East and South Asia.
The talks were held in an atmosphere of utmost cordiality and warmth, reflecting the spirit of mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries.
Three Agreements/MOUs were signed, including the Agreement for Exemption of Visa Requirement for Holders of Diplomatic, Special and Official Passport Holders, and MOUs on Technical Cooperation in Cyber Space and Combating Cyber Crime; and between the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy of Qatar and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in addition to a Letter of Intent for e-visas for tourists and businessmen. Separately, an MoU between Qatar Ports Management Company ("Mwani Qatar”) and Indian Ports Global Private Limited was concluded.
During the visit, Prime Minister of Qatar called on Hon’ble President Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
The Home Minister of India, Shri Rajnath Singh, called on the Prime Minister of Qatar during the visit. The two sides resolved to work closely to combat terrorism and radicalization and noted the importance of consolidating the values of tolerance and preventing the spread of sectarianism. They discussed cooperation on counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing and countering terror-financing and money laundering, apart from other transnational crimes.
The visit of the Prime Minister of Qatar to India further reinforces the tradition of regular visits at the highest levels, and the extensive exchange of views between the leadership of the two countries, as we seek to build a strong partnership for the 21st century.
New Delhi
December 3, 2016
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