NEW DELHI: Extending a rare gesture of hospitality, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday went to the airport to receive Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, who arrived here on a two-day a visit to India this evening. The Amir is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold talks with Modi on Tuesday.
His visit comes at the invitation of Prime Minister Modi. This would be the second state visit of the Amir of Qatar to India. He earlier visited India in March 2015, the MEA earlier said. India and Qatar have deep-rooted historical ties of friendship, trust and mutual respect. In recent years, the ties between the two countries, including in the areas of trade, investment, energy, technology, culture and people-to-people ties, have continued to strengthen.
A special gesture for a special friend!
PM @narendramodi welcomed HH Sheikh @TamimbinHamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, at the airport, as he arrived in New Delhi on his second State visit to India.
The visit will further strengthen the bonds of partnership. pic.twitter.com/zsIS0pdPFc
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) February 17, 2025
India and Qatar on Tuesday will discuss ways to further promote bilateral trade and investments. The issues will be discussed between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, an official statement said on Monday.
Both will attend the Joint Business Forum meet here on February 18, the commerce and industry ministry said.
It is being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). The forum will act as an platform where top business leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders will convene to explore investment opportunities, technological collaboration, and economic partnerships, it said.
The high-level Qatari delegation includes leading enterprises from energy, infrastructure, finance, technology, food security, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and innovation. “These discussions will enable Indian and Qatari businesses to explore joint ventures, foreign direct investment (FDI), technology partnerships, and policy-driven collaborations,” it added.
India received USD 1.5 billion of FDI during April 2000 and September 2024. The bilateral trade has dipped to USD 14 billion in 2023-24 from USD 18.77 billion in 2022-23.