EAM Jaishankar’s visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to Qatar on Sunday, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday.
 
During the visit, he will meet the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the MEA said.
 
India and Qatar share historic and friendly relations which are marked by regular exchange of high-level visits.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Qatar on February 14-15, 2024 and held discussions with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
 
EAM Jaishankar’s visit will enable both sides to review various aspects of bilateral relations including political, trade, investment, energy, security, cultural and people-to-people as well as the regional and international issues of mutual interest.
 
Trade relations
 
India's bilateral trade with Qatar in 2022-23 was US$ 18.77 billion. India’s export to Qatar during 2022-23 was US$ 1.96 billion and India’s import from Qatar was US$ 16.8 billion.

Qatar’s key exports to India include LNG, LPG, chemicals and petrochemicals, plastics, and aluminium articles, while India’s key exports to Qatar include cereals, copper articles, iron and steel articles, vegetables, fruits, spices, and processed food products, electrical and other machinery, plastic products, construction material, textiles & garments, chemicals, precious stones and rubber.
 
India is among the top three largest export destinations for Qatar (China and Japan being the other two) and is also among the top three sources of Qatar’s imports, along with China and US.
 
Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India (10.74 MMT for US$ 8.32 billion in FY 2022-23), accounting for over 48% of India's global LNG imports.
 
Qatar is also India’s largest supplier of LPG (5.33 MMT for US$ 4.04 billion in FY 2022-23) accounting for 29% of India’s total LPG imports.
 
Besides LNG, India also imports ethylene, propylene, ammonia, urea and polyethylene from Qatar. Therefore, the balance of trade continues to be heavily in Qatar’s favour.
 
However, there has been a substantial growth in India’s exports to Qatar in the last few years.

A long-term contract LNG Sale and Purchase Agreement was signed on February 6, 2024 during the visit of Qatar’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs Engineer Saad bin Sherida Al Kaabi to India for participating in the India Energy Week 2024. The deal stipulates 7.5 MMTPA supply by Qatar Energy to Petronet LNG for 20 years starting 2028.

Defence cooperation
 
Defence cooperation is an important pillar of bilateral relations between India and Qatar. India offers training slots in its defence institutions to a number of partner countries, including Qatar.
 
India regularly participates in the biennial Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX) in Qatar.
 
Indian Naval and Coast Guard ships regularly visit Qatar as part of bilateral cooperation and interaction between the two countries. India-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement, signed during PM Manmohan Singh’s visit to Qatar in November 2008, and further extended for a period of five years in November 2018.