The population of Qatar in the Gulf of Persia is only 29 lakhs. Of this population of 29 lakhs, 8 lakh 35 thousand are Indians. But Qatar (11,571 sq km), as much as Tripura (10,486 sq km) of India (10,486 sq km) is a reliable partner of India’s energy security. India has a dense and friendly relationship not only for energy but also for diplomatic and strategic aggression.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached the airport to receive the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who arrived in New Delhi on Monday evening. PM Modi addressed Qatar’s rich brother. He posted pictures of the reception of Qatar’s Amir on X and wrote, “My brother went to the airport to welcome the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani of Qatar. Hope his visit to India will be successful. I am excited about the meeting. “
If you are curious on India’s enthusiasm about the rich of Qatar, then know that Qatar has recently abolished the death sentence of 8 such former Indian Navy officers, who have been convicted for alleged espionage in Qatar. Was. Of these, 7 former officers have returned to India. While negotiations are going on to bring the 8th officer to India.
India’s ‘Arab Dream’
In the common language, India’s ‘Arab Dream’ is the story of India’s strategic, strategic, economic and cultural ambitions in the Gulf region. Qatar has been greatly helpful in realizing this dream of India. These topics are expected to be discussed serious and effectively in the two -day visit of Qatar’s rich to India.
Qatar’s LNG-LPG is important for India
According to the International Energy Agency, in 2024, India consumed about 65 billion cubic meters of gas. By 2030, this requirement will be 120 billion cubic meters. The question is that in India, natural gas is not in such a large amount, then where does India get this gas from? The answer to this concern of India is the huge amount of likvified natural gas present in Qatar.
According to the Indian Embassy in Qatar, Qatar is India’s largest LNG (liquid natural gas) supplier. In the financial year 2022-23, India ordered 10.74 million metric tonnes of LNG from Qatar. Its price was $ 8.32 billion. This is 48 percent of India’s total LNG imports. That is, India only asks for half of its total LNG imports from Qatar.
Qatar is also the largest LPG supplier in India. In the financial year 2022-23, India imported 5.33 million metric tons of LPG from Qatar. It costs $ 4.04 billion. India only asks for 29 percent of its total LPG imports from Qatar.
Apart from LNG, India also imports ethylene, propaline, ammonia, urea and polyethylene from Qatar.
India and Qatar have a trade of $ 18.78 billion in the financial year 2022-23. It has a purchase of $ 16.81 billion from Qatar and sales of only $ 1.97 billion from Qatar.
That is, the business balance in the business between the two countries remains in favor of Qatar. Therefore, not only India, but also Qatar is engaged in the mood of a Maldar customer like India.
Qatar gives special preference to a customer like India
In 2016, Qatar cut the LNG prices for India by more than 50 percent. The then Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had said that after several rounds of talks with Qatar, the government there agreed to the price of LNG at $ 5 per cent million British thermal units.
Earlier in 2015, India had to buy liquid natural gas from Qatar at the rate of $ 12 per metric million British thermal unit. India had benefited billions of dollars from this deal.
Due to a good business deal with Qatar, India saved $ 15 billion on the gas deal for the next 11 years from 2003 to the next 11 years. This has been possible due to Qatar selling gas to India at low prices.
According to the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI), Qatar has more than 15000 large and small Indian companies, which are full -owned and joint ventures.
Large roll of small Qatar
Qatar is rising as an important role in resolving international diplomatic and strategic controversies despite its small geographical limit. This has been possible due to Qatar’s independent foreign policy, economic power, international media dominance.
Please tell that Qatar has been independent in its foreign policy, which has given him a chance to communicate with various countries and groups. It installs the Doha as a neutral intermediary. The small population, the abundance of the petro product and the bumper is an ambition to play a big role in the world on the basis of foreign exchange.
Through international English channels such as Al Jazeera, Qatar sets a narrator on global issues, which prepares the ground to play the role of an intermediary.
Why has the Taliban made their office in Qatar
Talks with Taliban: Qatar played a central role in the peace process in Afghanistan. In 2020, in Doha, the capital of Qatar, there was a peace agreement between the United States and the Taliban, which laid the foundation for the return of American soldiers from Afghanistan. Qatar established a diplomatic office for the Taliban, which became a major place for talks.
Indian officials have been meeting Taliban leaders in Qatar itself. Senior officials of 2021 Qatar had said that Indian officials had secretly met Taliban leaders. Even after these meetings, the Taliban and India relations were warm.
Israel-Hamas Jung: Qatar has also introduced its mediation in resolving disputes between Israel and Hamas. The political leadership of Hamas, the terrorist organization of Palestine, has been operating from Qatar. In addition, Qatar has made significant arbitration between Israel and Hamas in the release and ceasefire agreements.
Qatar has helped to provide humanitarian aid in Gaza, including the supply of money and essential items. Qatar has also funded for the reconstruction of Gaza, which is often helpful in reducing post -war stress.
However, it is also worth noting that such a role of Qatar has sometimes caused diplomatic tension with other countries, as seen in the 2017 Qatar crisis, when many Gulf countries broke diplomatic relations with Qatar. Was taken
Then India played friendship with Qatar
In the summer of June 2017, Gulf politics came to a boil when Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt ended their diplomatic relations with Qatar on 5 June. These countries stopped the entry of Qatar aircraft into its airspace. Saudi Arabia was leading this campaign. Saudi Arabia blocked the sea-roads and airways going to Qatar. Saudi alleged that Qatar was supporting terrorism. Qatar was also accused of supporting Muslim Brotherhood and and IS. However, Qatar rejected these allegations.
During this time India adopted a policy of neutrality. India worked with restraint weighing their relationships with Saudi Arabia and UAE on the occasion. India postponed the export to Qatar for a few days due to root blockage. But as soon as the situation became normal, India made its relations normal.
Defense cooperation
Defense cooperation is an important pillar of Bharat Qatar’s bilateral agenda. Let us know that many partner countries including India Qatar in their defense institutions
Gives training India regularly participates in the biennial Doha International Maritime Defense Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) in Qatar. The Indian Navy and Coast Guard regularly visit Qatar as part of bilateral cooperation and interaction. The Indo-Kartar Defense Cooperation Agreement came into existence during the PM’s visit to Qatar in November 2008. In November 2018, it was extended for a period of five years.