Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said that India and Qatar share a long history of successful energy trade, but the future of this partnership would extend beyond hydrocarbons to cutting-edge sectors.

Goyal said India-Qatar future partnership will rest on the pillars of sustainability, technology and entrepreneurship and energy. He was speaking at the inaugural session of the India-Qatar Business Forum in New Delhi on Tuesday in the presence of his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, who was the Guest of Honour at the session.

Later, citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal welcome to Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at the airport as a sign of strong partnership ahead in line with the changing global priorities, he said: “I think, in coming days there would be significant growth in both trade or investments between India and Qatar.” The Amir of Qatar is on his second state visit to India from 17-18 February 2025.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the forum, Goyal said India and Qatar are in a position to complement each other’s strengths and can be partners in driving innovation and shaping the industries of tomorrow. As both nations embark on a transformational transition, this partnership will rest on the pillars of entrepreneurship, technology, and sustainability, he added.

Goyal invited Qatar to explore opportunities in India’s dynamic and resilient economy and suggested creating a joint working group on sectors of mutual interest. The joint business forum was jointly organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), an arm of the commerce and industry ministry.

Speaking on the occasion, Qatari commerce and industry minister Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani highlighted that the relationship between the two countries and said it is a tradition built on mutual respect, shared interests and a commitment to bolster economic cooperation.

According to government data, the bilateral trade between the two countries was over 14 billion dollar in 2023-24. India mainly imports energy such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), petrochemicals, plastics, and aluminum articles from Qatar.

It exports cereals, copper, iron and steel, vegetables, fruits, spices, and processed food products, electrical and other machinery, plastic products, construction material, textiles and garments, chemicals, precious stones, and rubber to Qatar.

Qatari investments in India (in the form of foreign direct investment or FDI) is of over $1.5 billion in sectors such as telecom, retail, education, health, IT, power, and affordable housing, according to the data.

A government official said that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has announced investments in various projects recently. As per its website $1 billion is invested into Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL) in August 2023, $393 million in IndoSpace Logistics Parks in September 2023, $50 million in Global Dental Services in November 2023, and $140 million into Shriram Housing Finance Ltd in January 2025, he said. QIA also invested $450 million for 25.1% stake in a unit of Adani Transmission Ltd in February 2020, he added.

Indian companies such as Larsen & Toubro, Voltas, Shapoorji Pallonji, Wipro, TCS, and Tech Mahindra are invested in Qatar. Indian companies have invested $356 million in the country between 2017 and 2025.

“The India-Qatar business delegation will serve as a catalyst for stronger partnerships,” said DPIIT joint secretary Sanjiv. He said Qatar’s participation in Startup India Mahakumbh 2025, which is scheduled on April 3-5, 2025, will serve as a landmark initiative fostering deeper startup collaborations and attracting Qatari investments into India’s technology and innovation ecosystem, he added.

Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG and LPG to India. In 2023-24 it supplied 10.91 MMT of LNG and 4.92 MMT of LPG , which was about 46% and 26% of India’s LNG and LPG imports, respectily. In 1999, then QatarGas and Petronet LNG signed a long-term contract for LNG sale and purchase agreement for supply of 7.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA) of LNG to India up to 2028. In February 2024, a new deal was signed between QatarEnergy and PetronetLNG to extend the deal up to 2048 with total value estimated at about $78 billion. In December 2024, GAIL signed an agreement with Qatar Energy for purchase of 60 cargoes over the next five years.

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New Delhi: The India-United Arab Emirates (UAE) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) has proven to be a significant driver of trade growth between the two countries as it completes three years since signing on Tuesday. Bilateral merchandise trade between India and the UAE has nearly doubled in this period, rising from $43.3 billion in FY21 to $83.7 billion in FY24, according to a statement from the commerce ministry.

Signed during a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the agreement entered into force on 1 May 2022.

In its three years, the India-UAE CEPA has significantly strengthened economic ties, driven robust trade growth, and created new opportunities for businesses in both countries.

In the first nine months of FY25, trade has already reached $71.8 billion. This surge has been driven by CEPA’s focus on diversifying the trade basket, with non-oil trade reaching $57.8 billion in FY24, accounting for more than half of the total trade. Both countries are on track to hit the target of $100 billion in non-oil trade by 2030, as per the commerce ministry.

Substantial growth

India’s exports to the UAE have seen substantial growth under the agreement, particularly in non-oil sectors. Non-oil exports reached $27.4 billion in FY 2023-24, marking an impressive 25.6% annual growth since the agreement came into effect, as per the ministry. Key sectors contributing to this growth include electrical machinery, high-tech products, and organic chemicals. Additionally, smartphones have emerged as a major export item, with exports valued at $2.57 billion in FY24.

The agreement has also facilitated over 240,000 certificates of origin, enabling Indian exports worth nearly $19.87 billion to the UAE. Both governments have worked closely to resolve issues faced by exporters through regular high-level meetings and technical discussions, ensuring smooth trade flow, the commerce ministry said.

The CEPA’s success is further exemplified by initiatives like the Bharat Mart, which was inaugurated in Dubai by Prime Minister Modi in February 2024. The platform serves as a one-stop shop for Indian manufacturers, providing access to global markets and further enhancing India’s export prospects.

Exports and imports

India exports a range of goods to the UAE, with refined petroleum products, chemicals, and gems and jewellery being key items. Other significant exports include pharmaceuticals, textiles, garments, and agricultural products such as rice, pulses, and spices.

On the import side, India primarily imports crude oil and petroleum products from the UAE, which are essential for the country’s energy needs. Natural gas, especially liquefied natural gas (LNG), is another key import from the UAE. India also imports gold, precious metals, and stones from the UAE, which are important for its jewellery industry. 

NEW DELHI: The Congress-led Telangana government has issued an order allowing all the Muslim employees working for the state to take a leave an hour early during “Ramzan” days.
The Revanth Reddy dispensation has permitted all Muslim government employees, teachers, contract, out-sourcing, corporations and public sector employees to leave their offices/schools at 4.00 pm during the month of Ramzan, which will commence on March 2 and will conclude on March 31.
The order was issued by chief secretary to government Santhi Kumari.
In a letter dated February 15 Santhi Kumari said, “Government hereby permits all the government Muslim employees/ teachers/contract /out-sourcing/boards/corporations & public sector employees working in the state to leave their offices/schools at 4.00 pm during the holy month of “RAMZAN” ie, from March 02 to March 31 (both days inclusive) to offer necessary prayers, except when their presence is required due to exigencies of services during the above period.”
The move has triggered a political backlash by the opposition BJP, which has called it an attempt to appease the Telangana Muslim community.
BJP’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya lashed out at the Congress party, saying the decision “wasn’t about being sensitive to the religious beliefs” of the Muslim community but about “reducing them to mere vote bank”.
“The appeasement bug strikes the Congress government in Telangana, which has approved relaxed work hours for Muslim state employees during Ramzan. No such concessions are ever granted to Hindus when they fast during Navratri. This tokenism isn’t about being sensitive to the religious beliefs of one community but about reducing them to a mere vote bank. It should be opposed,” said BJP leader Amit Malviya in a post on X.
Senior BJP leader P Muralidhar Rao also slammed CM Revanth Reddy alleging that he was determined to prioritise one section of society.
Rao said the state government never extended such concessions to Hindus during Navratri or Jains during Paryushan.
“The Congress government in Telangana is once again indulging in blatant appeasement, approving relaxed work hours for Muslim employees during Ramzan while never extending such concessions to Hindus during Navratri or Jains during Paryushan. This isn’t about respect for religious practices–it’s about vote bank politics. What kind of secularism is this?” Rao asked.
He accused the Revanth Reddy government of pushing Telangana down the path of Sharia-style governance.
“Special privileges for one community while others are ignored! CM Revanth Reddy seems determined to prioritise one section while pushing Telangana further down the path of Sharia-style governance. If Congress continues to rule, this bias will only deepen,” Muralidhar Rao said.

India-Bangladesh talks: As Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar met Bangladesh’s interim government’s Foreign Affairs Advisor, Touhid Hossain, at the sidelines of a multilateral conference in Muscat. The Bangladeshi side urged India to support reviving the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). Dhaka’s other requests to New Delhi also included initiating discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty signed in 1996.

Notably, Bangladesh’s new interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has been insisting on the revival of SAARC, which was suspended in the wake of the India-Pakistan conflict. Following his meeting with Touhid Hossain, Jaishankar’s post on X touched upon other issues discussed but decided to refrain from mentioning the SAARC discussion.

What does Jaishankar’s post say? 

Jaishankar’s post on X reads, “Met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain of the Interim Government of Bangladesh. The conversation was focused on our bilateral relationship, as also on BIMSTEC.” 

However, with India adopting a strict stance against Pakistan and expecting Pakistan to stop harbouring terrorists for anti-India activities, New Delhi is less likely to give heed to the request of reviving SAARC, which gives Pakistan a diplomatic platform.

Replacing Thailand, Bangladesh will be the chair of the 6th BIMSTEC summit scheduled to take place in Bangkok from April 2 to 4 this year.

The meeting comes as the second engagement between Jaishankar and Hossain following their discussion after they met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September last year, a month after Yunus assumed power following the ouster of then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a violent student-led uprising.

A decline in India-Bangladesh ties

After former PM Sheikh Hasina was ousted from Bangladesh last year, the ties between India and Bangladesh came under severe strain over attacks on minority Hindus. There had been a spate of incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities, as well as attacks on temples in Bangladesh that triggered strong concerns in New Delhi.

Bangladesh and India share an over 4,000-kilometre border, which also saw sporadic unrest. Chiefs of two border forces are set to meet in New Delhi this week in their annual conference.

(With inputs from PTI)

Also Read | Sheikh Hasina vows political comeback, calls Muhammad Yunus ‘unfit’ to govern Bangladesh

Latest news on February 18, 2025: An RPF personnel in Mumbai rescued a 40-year-old passenger who fell into the gap between a moving train and platform at Andheri Station.

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Delta plane crashes at Toronto airport, 18 injured

A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, officials said. Three people on the flight that originated at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport suffered critical injuries, among them a child, authorities added. Delta said a CRJ900 aircraft operated by its Endeavor Air subsidiary was involved in a single-aircraft accident with 76 passengers and four crew aboard. The CRJ900, made by Canada’s Bombardier, can seat up to 90 people. Canadian authorities said they would investigate the cause of the crash, which was not yet known.