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Qatar-India relations strong and historic, says Indian minister
India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who was in Qatar for a two-day visit, praised the ties between his country and Qatar, calling them strong, historic and strategic.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA) yesterday, the Indian minister affirmed that the two countries continually seek to enhance relations through cooperation across various fields.
There is a very deep historical and cultural relationship between India and Qatar, he highlighted.
"I have seen this myself when I went to the wonderful National Museum of Qatar which illustrates the deep friendship, cultural and heritage connections between us and the Indian collections it contains that reflect our deeply common history," he said.
The minister expressed his satisfaction at the level of relations between Doha and New Delhi, especially in energy and economy.
"There is a very deep comfort between us. In the modern era, Qatar has become such a big energy supplier to the world, and we are a big energy consumer. Energy is a very strong foundation for our relations.
"Besides, we have also seen trade increase very substantially, so the challenge today for us is in going forward with a very good base, very strong history and very great comfort and exploring new opportunities of co-operation,” he underlined.
The minister mentioned that the talks held in Qatar have been successful and that the Qatari and Indian parties are ready to take their partnerships to newer heights.
"Earlier security meant military, police, intelligence, while today security means health, food, and energy as well,” he added.
Dr Jaishankar also acknowledged the care the Indian community has received in Qatar, particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said his visit to Qatar came specifically to thank the country for this care extended to the Indian community.
"I came here specifically because my Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to convey his personal gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the Qatari government for the manner in which they looked after the Indian community during the Covid crisis. We are very grateful for that, and we are also very proud that many of them have made very good contributions," he said.
The Indian Foreign Minister, in an interview with Qatar News Agency, praised the close relations between his country and the State of Qatar, terming them as ‘historic and robust’, and stressing his country’s interest in developing cooperation ties with Qatar in all areas. #QNA pic.twitter.com/enOFJPlbJ4
— Qatar News Agency (@QNAEnglish) December 29, 2020
Dr Jaishankar expressed his great appreciation and respect for the decisive measures taken by Qatar to confront the Covid-19 pandemic. "In India, we did not have a good experience everywhere, but we saw in Qatar a really ideal situation. From the beginning, the government was very decisive, and because of that it was able to control the spread of the virus.
"Regarding the care provided to the people, we greatly appreciate that the Qatari government has taken care of the citizens and everyone who lives on the land of Qatar, which is also a model for the world. I also appreciate the contribution of Qatar Airways by operating many flights to transport stranded people to their countries. I told the CEO of Qatar Airways that we note their contribution and the possibility of travel between India and Qatar."
Moreover, the Indian minister expressed his country's permanent support toward the peaceful resolution of all issues in the region.
"We support constructive dialogue. We support negotiations. We believe diplomatic channels should be used. And we are confident that the issues and differences over the past three years would be resolved in the coming future. There would be a return to normality, and that is something we would welcome."
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