(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar and India signed six agreements, including one on transfer of sentenced prisoners, as visiting Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on energy, investment and people-to-people ties yesterday.
The Emir, who was in New Delhi on a two-day visit, was accorded a ceremonial reception in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on him, after which he held talks with Modi at Hyderabad House.
The Emir also held separate talks with President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice-President Hamid Ansari and met top businessmen and investors.
He attended a dinner banquet hosted by Mukherjee in his honour. The Emir's delegation was present. Besides bilateral ties, discussion between both sides focused on latest developments in the Middle East.
Qatar, the largest source of India's liquified natural gas (LNG) imports at 86 percent, is keen to boost energy ties. Qatar expressed interest in Modi's 'Make in India' initiative and India is seeking to invest in major infrastructure projects in Qatar which is hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022.
The agreements, besides transfer of prisoners, are: A memorandum of understanding for cooperation in information and communication technology, an MoU between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Qatar Meteorological Department for scientific and technical cooperation, an MoU between Diplomatic Institute of Qatari Foreign Ministry and Foreign Service Institute of India's External Affairs Ministry, an MoU for cooperation in the field of radio and television and an agreement for cooperation and exchange of news.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin tweeted: "India Qatar discuss energy, investment & people to people ties. 6 agreements signed."
Under the agreement on transfer of prisoners, Indians convicted in Qatar can be brought home to serve their remaining term and Qataris convicted in India can be sent home to serve their sentence.
The deal would enable the sentenced people to be near their families and help in their social rehabilitation, said an official statement.
The Emir is accompanied by a high-level delegation, comprising ministers, senior officials and captains of industry. He arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday night from Colombo.
He was earlier in Islamabad as part of his three-nation South Asia tour.
Later, the Emir returned home. He was seen off at Palam Military Base Airport by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh, senior officials, Qatari Ambassador to India Ahmed Ibrahim Al Abdullah and Indian Ambassador to Qatar Sanjiv Arora.
The Emir sent cables to Mukherjee and Modi, expressing appreciation for the warm reception and hospitality accorded to him during the visit which contributed to exchanging views on issues of common concern, promoting historic relations to serve the best interests of both nations, wishing them good health and happiness, and the Indian people further progress and prosperity.
Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani visited India in 1999, 2005 and 2012 and former Indian prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh visited Qatar in November 2008.
Around 600,000 Indians work in Qatar, comprising the largest expatriate community in the country.
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