At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, is arriving in India today (Feb 17, 2025) for a state visit. Such occasions are often painted in hues of diplomatic cordiality, yet beneath the surface of handshakes and photo ops lies a complex web of strategic imperatives.

Discussions are scheduled with President Murmu, followed by crucial talks with Prime Minister Modi, covering the usual subjects: bilateral relations, trade, investment, energy, and the ever-turbulent regional issues. But let’s not be naive—this visit is a necessary engagement with a nation that, while geographically compact, wields considerable influence, not least because it hosts a staggering 830,000 Indians—a veritable army of expatriates who are not merely cogs in the Qatari machine but integral to its very functioning.

India and Qatar share ‘deep-rooted historical ties of friendship, trust, and mutual respect.’ Diplomatic boilerplate, perhaps, but not without a kernel of truth. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s visit to Doha earlier this year—his first diplomatic foray of 2025—underscores the priority New Delhi accords to this relationship. Meetings with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, may be routine but remain essential in maintaining momentum. Strengthening ties across trade, investment, energy, technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges is frequently cited as a success.

Indeed, high-level bilateral visits have been a regular feature—the Emir’s state visit in 2015, Modi’s trips to Doha in 2016 and last year—all underscoring robust engagement. Then there’s the sheer demographic weight: Indians in Qatar make up a formidable 27 per cent of its population.

Qatar also provides India with a substantial financial........

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