Dubai,NFA Post: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Doha in Qatar on February 14 after concluding his visit to UAE. Foreign Secretary Kwatra, while addressing a special press briefing on the visit of PM Modi to Abudhabi, the Indian leader’s visit to Qatar is aimed at discussing ways to further strengthen overall ties.
After completing his UAE visit on February 14, the PM will travel to Doha on February 14 afternoon. During the visit, PM Modi will hold bilateral with Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Emir of Qatar, and high dignitaries in Qatar ,this will be the PM’s second visit to Qatar strong bilateral trade between India and Qatar, currently stands at $20 billion,” the foreign secretary said.
Notably, his visit will be crucial as Qatar has released all eight former Indian Navy personnel who were awarded death sentences on the charges of espionage. The eight Navy veterans are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh.
Confirming the development, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement: “The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the statement further said.
Setting foot to their homeland after months of captivity in Qatar, seven of the eight Indian navy veterans who were sentenced to death on ‘espionage’ charges, heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying they wouldn’t have been freed had it for the sustained diplomatic efforts at his behest to secure their release.
“We waited almost for 18 months to be back in India. We are extremely grateful to the PM. It wouldn’t have been possible without his personal intervention and his equation with Qatar,” one of the freed officials told the press.
PM Modi’s visit to UAE
PM Modi is coming to UAE to inaugurate Baps Hindu Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi. He will also be addressing the Indian community in the UAE at an event in Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi on 13 Feb. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s seventh visit to the UAE since 2015 and the third in the last eight months.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will hold bilateral meetings with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the UAE. The two leaders will discuss ways to further deepen, expand and strengthen the strategic partnership between the countries and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
During his visit, the Prime Minister will also meet with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Defense Minister of UAE. At his invitation, the Prime Minister will participate in the World Government Summit 2024 to be held in Dubai as a Guest of Honor and deliver a special keynote address at the Summit.
India-UAE relations
Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries have been elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Both countries signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 and a Local Currency Settlement (LCS) System in July 2023 to promote the use of Indian Rupee and AED for cross-border transactions.
(Additional inputs from Mumbai correspondent AMITABH ROY)
