India and Qatar on Wednesday signed six agreements including one on transfer of sentenced prisoners as the two countries sought to inject a fresh momentum in their bilateral ties.
The pacts were signed after Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held extensive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during which both the leaders discussed a range of issues including enhancing cooperation in energy sector and boosting trade and investment.
The Pacts Signed
Under the provisions of the Transfer of Sentenced Persons pact, Indian prisoners convicted in Qatar can be brought to India to serve the remaining part of their sentence. Similarly, Qatari citizens convicted in India can be sent back home.
Qatar is also an important partner for India in the Gulf region. It supplies 86% of India’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). The bilateral annual trade is around $16 billion.
The MoU for Information and Communication Technology would provide enhanced business opportunities for Indian IT industry in Qatar.
Qatar has embarked on an ambitious programme for overall development as part of its Qatar 2030 vision and has created a dedicated Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
The two sides also finalised a pact to encourage regular exchange content between India’s Prasar Bharati and Qatar Media Cooperation.
Another MoU was signed between Ministry of Earth Sciences and Qatar Meteorological Department for cooperation in the field of atmospheric and ocean sciences.
A separate MoU was inked between Diplomatic Institute of Qatar’s Foreign Ministry and Foreign Service Institute of External Affairs Ministry to facilitate exchange of faculty members and experts.
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