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India is scrambling to respond to Qatari death sentences handed over to eight of its navy officers and retired personnel, in what legal experts say will be a tough test of New Delhi diplomatic prowess
The eight people were detained in Doha in August 2022 reportedly on the grounds of espionage. Late last week, a Qatari court sentenced them to death a decision India’s government described as a “shock”
Reasons for the Death Penalty
The exact grounds on which they were arrested and the charges on which they have been convicted are still unknown and not disclosed. Speculation is rife that they have been accused of spying for a foreign country. They have been working in a personal capacity for Dahra, which is an Omani private defence company to help see the introduction of Italian U-212 stealth submarines for the Qatari Emiri Naval Force.
Among those facing death include decorated officers such as Commodore Purnendu Tiwari, who in 2019 has been awarded the highest honour conferred on Indians overseas by the Embassy in Doha for enhancing the country’s image abroad.
Pressure on Foreign Ministry
Now the pressure is on the Indian Diplomats to rescue and save the accused. Family members of the former officers have urged PM Narendra Modi to intervene personally lamenting that the matter was not resolved before it reached this point.
“On several occasions the foreign ministry has assured us that bringing back our loved ones was a priority for them. However, this has not led to any concrete action,” said a relative of detained Captain Navtej Gill who was awarded the President Gold Medal for his service in the Indian armed forces. We are waiting for a quick resolution now because their lives are in danger.
On October 29, 2023, the Indian Minister for External Affairs, Subramaniam Jaishankar announced that he had met the families of the men and that the Indian government will leave no stone unturned to ensure their release. After the ruling was announced, the ministry said that it was in deep shock by the verdict of death penalty and it was exploring all legal operations.
The case puts a strain on the India-Qatar ties that include both significant trade and large number of Indian workers in the Middle Eastern state-700,000, former ambassador to Qatar Deepa Gopalan recently told an Indian news agency. She also said that the matter needs to be taken up the highest level to ensure the lives of the accused are saved
Other Political Challenges
There are high political stakes for PM Modi as well as elections for 2024 are inching close. Moreover, the verdict comes amid an already challenging period for the Indian diplomacy just after a spat erupted with Canada over PM Justin Trudeau revelations of credible allegations that Indian agents were behind the killing of a Sikh separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Views of Experts
According to Legal experts, the lack of transparency around the naval veterans will complicate the entire issue. Also, the speculation that the men were held on the charges of espionage will makes it even more sensitive said Indian High Court Advocate Prakriti Chada.
Some have drawn parallels with Kulbhushan Jadhav another Indian Navy officer who has been held by the Pakistani government since March 2016. He was also accused on charges of espionage in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. He was also sentenced to death by the Pakistan military court, but the matter was taken up by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
India and Qatar have cordial relations, which the Foreign Ministry officials suggest hope. According to foreign policy experts and fellow of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) Kabir Taneja who specializes in West Asia says government to government talks are the best options and India should operationalise the prisoner deal exchange that it signed with Qatar in 2015. Under the agreement, in theory, the Qatari citizens convicted in India should be sent back to Qatar in exchange of the Indian naval personnel.
Others have argued that India must try to leverage its robust trade relations with Qatar to bring the men back home. New Delhi’s is among the top three sources of Qatari imports. Thousands of Indian companies do business in Qatar and the Indian Navy also helps train the Qatari Navy as a part of security pacts signed in 2008.
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