India, Qatar Forge Strategic Partnership

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday held wide-ranging talks with Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani as the two leaders decided to elevate India-Qatar relations to a ‘strategic partnership’ with focus on trade, investments, technology, energy and people-to-people ties, further cementing the ‘deep and traditional relationship’ between the two countries. They also exchanged views on ‘regional and global issues’ of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The Amir of Qatar’s two-day visit comes at the invitation of Modi. This is his second state visit to India. He earlier visited India in March 2015. His visit will provide ‘further momentum to our growing multifaceted partnership’, the MEA had said ahead of the visit that began on Monday. Earlier in the day, the Amir of Qatar was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan as President Droupadi Murmu welcomed the visiting leader.

Modi was also present on the occasion. Later, Modi and the Amir held talks at the Hyderabad House covering a range of bilateral issues. India and Qatar on Tuesday also exchanged an agreement on establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries. The documents were exchanged between Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and the Amir of Qatar here. “India-Qatar, further cementing the deep & traditional relationship. PM @narendramodi & HH Sheikh @TamimbinHamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar held wide-ranging talks at Hyderabad House today,” saidMEA.