New Delhi: India and Qatar on Sunday, June 5, expressed strong commitment to further enhance bilateral trade and investment cooperation. Father Amir H.H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani asked the visiting Vice President of India, M Venkaiah Naidu about sectors for ‘more investment opportunities in India’.
The Vice President invited the Qatari side to explore the significant opportunities in a range of sectors including infrastructure, connectivity both physical and digital, energy, defence and hospitality.
Qatar also invited Indian entities to look for opportunities in sectors like education, pharmaceuticals and healthcare in that country, an MEA release said.
Both sides discussed the impact of recent global developments on food and energy security.
They renewed their long-term commitment to energy partnership.
The Vice President assured the Qatari leadership of India’s assistance in meeting Qatar’s food security.
Earlier Mr Venkaiah Naidu called on Father Amir H.H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
He also met the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani at Amiri Diwan.
Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohammad Al Kuwari and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mr. Soltan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi were also present during the meeting.
Both sides positively assessed the developments in bilateral relations and agreed to further strengthen their historic friendship in all areas.
Mr Naidu expressed happiness at the first-ever visit at the Vice President level from India to Qatar.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the continued engagement at the highest levels between both countries since the landmark visits of Qatar’s Amir to India in 2015 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar in 2016.
They agreed that high-level engagement should be sustained, including through an early visit of Qatar’s Amir to India. Both sides also looked forward to the convening of the Joint Commission between the two sides at the Foreign Minister level later this year.
Both sides also agreed to promote bilateral parliamentary exchanges, the MEA said.
Vice President Naidu reiterated the high importance attached by India to close and friendly relations with Qatar and the commitment to deepen multifaceted bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, energy, food security, defence, technology, culture, education, health, media and people to people contacts.
He thanked the Qatari leadership for taking great care of the Indian community.
On his part, Father Amir recalled the historic relations between both countries which are based on mutual trust and appreciated the contribution of the Indian community in the development of Qatar.
An understanding has been reached to set up an ICCR Chair of Indian studies at Qatar University.
The news agency ANI and Qatar News Agency have also agreed to enhance bilateral media cooperation, the MEA statement said.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu arrived in Doha on the third leg of his 3-nation tour. He is accompanied by a high-level delegation including Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar and three Members of Parliament, Sushil Kumar Modi (Rajya Sabha), Vijay Pal Singh Tomar (Rajya Sabha) and P. Ravindhranath (Lok Sabha).
