New Delhi, February 18 (HS): President Droupadi Murmu organized a special dinner in honor of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many senior ministers and dignitaries of the Government of India were present on this occasion.

During this special dinner, there was a detailed discussion on further strengthening bilateral cooperation between India and Qatar, trade, investment, energy and strategic partnership.

President Droupadi Murmu in her address underlined the historical and close relations between India and Qatar and said that Qatar is an important strategic partner of India, and economic and cultural relations between the two countries are constantly deepening.

President Droupadi Murmu said, Your visit is an important milestone in our historic ties and friendship. The two countries share a special bond which is extremely close and vibrant. I am delighted to welcome the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and his delegation on his second State visit to India.

President Murmu said, The Indian community in Qatar has made Qatar their second home and they have seamlessly integrated into the local society. I am deeply grateful to you and the people of Qatar for their wonderful care. She said the signing of the Strategic Partnership Agreements between India and Qatar today is testimony to the fact that we are equally committed to taking our relations to new heights and building mutually beneficial partnerships. It is also a tribute to the spirit and endeavour of our people.

The President further said that both India and Qatar are focusing on innovation and sustainability to improve the lives of our people. Qatar has formulated its national development strategy for 2030, while India's vision is to become a developed India by 2047.

She said, I am confident that your state visit to India will add a new chapter to our long-standing and multifaceted relations, which will benefit our people. We value these centuries-old bonds of friendship and cooperation and look forward to further strengthening these relations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also welcomed the Emir of Qatar on this occasion and said that there is immense potential to take cooperation between India and Qatar to new heights in the energy, trade, investment and defence sectors.

During the dinner, discussions were held on LNG (liquefied natural gas) supply, infrastructure development, startups, food security and investment cooperation between the two countries. Qatar is one of the major energy suppliers to India and the possibilities of new partnerships were considered to further strengthen business relations between the two countries. Also, the important role of expatriate Qataris settled in India and the Indian community working in Qatar was also discussed. More than 0.8 million Indian citizens are employed in Qatar, who contribute significantly to the economy there. President Murmu and Emir Al-Thani expressed commitment to further strengthen this relationship.

It was also agreed in the meeting that India and Qatar will further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the coming years, especially in the areas of trade, education, health and defense.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani expressed gratitude for India's warm welcome and expressed commitment to further strengthen India-Qatar relations. He said, India and Qatar share centuries-old historical and cultural ties, and we are proud to take this friendship forward.

Emir Sheikh Al-Thani said, Last year we saw significant progress in our cooperation, especially in the energy sector, including the signing of an important agreement between our two countries in the field of trade and mutual investment. Additionally, our countries entered into an agreement to establish a strategic partnership, which reflects a strong commitment to develop cooperation in various fields and enhance relations between our two peoples. In this context I would like to express my appreciation for the Indian community in Qatar, which plays an important role in the social and cultural development of our country and serves as a social bridge between our two friendly countries.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar