Press Release of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India,

20 May 2016 

Visit of Prime Minister to the State of Qatar (June 4-5, 2016)

May 20, 2016 

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is paying an official visit to the State of Qatar from 4-5 June 2016 at the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. This is the highest-level visit from India to Qatar since the visit of the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to Doha in 2008. 

There has been regular exchange of high-level bilateral visits in the recent past. The Emir of Qatar HH Sheikh Tamim had visited India in March 2015. Previously, the then Emir of Qatar HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani had visited India in 1999, 2005 and 2012. 

India’s historical and close relations with Qatar are marked by mutually beneficial commercial exchanges and extensive people to people contacts. Qatar is an important trading partner for us in the Gulf region with bilateral trade in 2014-15 exceeding US$ 15 billion. It is our largest supplier of LNG requirements, accounting for 65% of our total imports in 2015-16. It was also one of our key sources of crude oil. 

Over 6,30,000 Indian nationals form the largest expatriate community in Qatar. Their positive contribution in the progress and development of their host country is well recognized. 

During the forthcoming visit, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Emir of Qatar HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani will hold discussions on bilateral, regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest.

New Delhi 

May 20, 2016