PM Modi and Qatar Amir Unite Against Cross-Border Terrorism, Strengthen Global Security Ties

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar's Amir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, strongly condemned all forms of terrorism, including cross-border terrorism. The two leaders agreed to work together to combat this threat through both bilateral and multilateral efforts.

In a joint statement released shortly after their discussions, India and Qatar stressed the significance of dialogue and diplomacy in peacefully resolving international conflicts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani | Photo

The Amir's official two-day visit "reaffirmed the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and Qatar. The leaders expressed optimism that this renewed partnership would continue to grow, benefitting the people of both countries and contributing to regional and global stability".

"The two leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations including cross-border terrorism and agreed to cooperate in combatting this menace through bilateral and multilateral mechanisms," it said.

The leaders also agreed to enhance collaboration in "information and intelligence sharing," "exchanging expertise, best practices, and technologies," and "strengthening capacity building." They further committed to deepening cooperation in "law enforcement," "anti-money laundering," "drug trafficking," "cybercrime," and "other transnational crimes," the statement said.

They also explored strategies to enhance cooperation in cybersecurity, emphasizing the prevention of cyberspace misuse for terrorism, radicalization, and social discord, the statement added.

Earlier, Modi and the Amir engaged in discussions centered on trade, investments, technology, energy, and people-to-people connections, further strengthening the "deep and traditional ties" between the two nations.

They also shared perspectives on regional and global matters of mutual interest. "In light of the newly-established strategic partnership, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the bilateral relations through regular and structured cooperation in all areas, including political, trade, investment, security, energy, culture, education, technology, innovation, sustainability and people-to-people ties," the statement said.

In this context, both parties "welcomed with satisfaction" the signing of a revised double taxation avoidance agreement and concurred on accelerating negotiations for the India-Qatar Bilateral Investment Treaty, according to the statement.

On Tuesday, India and Qatar committed to doubling their bilateral trade to USD 28 billion within the next five years and strengthened their ties to a strategic partnership following Modi's discussions with the Amir.

The two parties also formalized two agreements in the presence of Modi and the Amir. "The two sides noted that trade and commerce has been a strong pillar of the bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries and emphasised on the potential for further growth and diversification in the bilateral trade. The two sides welcomed the elevation of the existing Joint Working Group on Trade and Commerce into a Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce," the statement said.

They also concurred on the importance of exploring strategies to enhance and diversify trade between the two countries while prioritizing the resolution of market access issues concerning goods and services.

"In this regard, the two sides agreed to explore the possibility of entering into a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement," the statement said.

Qatar praised India's efforts in creating a favorable environment for foreign direct and institutional investments and expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities across various sectors, including infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, food security, logistics, hospitality, and other areas of mutual interest.

"In this regard, the Qatar side announced a commitment to invest USD 10 billion in India," the statement said.

According to the statement shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both sides welcomed the launch of India's Unified Payment Interface (UPI) at Qatar National Bank's Points of Sales in Qatar and anticipated a nationwide expansion of UPI acceptance in the country.

Additionally, they recognized health cooperation as a key pillar of their bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing collaboration in this crucial sector.

"The two sides expressed interest in pursuing deeper collaboration in technology and innovation, including emerging technologies, startups and artificial intelligence," the statement added.

They expressed their support for the upcoming celebration of the "India-Qatar Year of Culture, Friendship, and Sports" and underscored the importance of strengthening educational collaborations through academic exchanges, joint research initiatives, student and scholar programs, and direct partnerships between universities in both nations.

Recognizing the deep-rooted people-to-people connections as a cornerstone of the historic India-Qatar relationship, they noted Qatar’s appreciation for India’s decision to extend the e-visa facility to Qatari nationals—a move recently announced by the Indian embassy in Doha.

Both sides also reaffirmed the necessity of UN reforms, including changes to the Security Council.

The Amir of Qatar arrived on Monday evening, marking his visit nearly a year after Prime Minister Modi’s trip to the Gulf nation in February 2024.

(This Article was originally published by Business Standard)