Minister of Commerce and Industry of India H E Piyush Goyal, QBA Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, QBA Deputy Chairman Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, and Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Vipul with other officials during the meeting.
Doha, Qatar: The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) hosted a luncheon in honour of H E Piyush Goyal, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, in the presence of H E Vipul, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the State of Qatar.
The event was held during the minister’s visit to Qatar, where discussions focused on joint investment opportunities between the two countries, especially following the visit of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to New Delhi earlier this year.
Attending from QBA were Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, QBA Chairman; Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, QBA Deputy Chairman; QBA Board Member Saud Omar Al Mana; and QBA members Sheikh Mansour bin Jassim Al Thani, Khalid Al Mannai, Nasser Suleiman Al Haidar, Ashraf Abu Issa, Nabil Abu Issa, Maqbool Habib Khalfan, Youssef Al Mahmoud, Mohamed Althaf, and Sarah Abdallah, QBA Deputy General Manager.
The meeting addressed the potential opportunities for cooperation between the Qatari and Indian business sectors across various economic fields. Discussions also included the investment climate and areas of potential collaboration between companies in both countries.
Piyush Goyal expressed his gratitude to the Qatari Businessmen Association, praising the developed infrastructure he witnessed during his visit, along with Qatar’s attractive investment environment and economic and financial stability. He noted that Qatar is among the fastest-growing economies in the region, enjoying a strong trade surplus driven by its energy exports, while also making significant efforts to diversify its economy by investing in sectors such as industry, technology, and logistics services.
The Minister highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries, pointing out that India’s strength lies in its human capital, with nearly one billion people connected to the internet. This connectivity is enabling India to position New Delhi as a global hub for artificial intelligence as part of its national strategy.
Minister Goyal also stated that his meetings with Qatari government officials were constructive and productive, affirming that major Indian companies plan to visit Qatar — particularly the free zones — to explore investment opportunities in logistics and transport sectors.
He extended an invitation to the Chairman and members of the Qatari Businessmen Association to visit India, either to explore investment opportunities or for tourism.
For his part, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, noted that Qatar-India relations are deep-rooted and historic.
He emphasised that most Qatari institutions and companies, whether public or private, benefit from the expertise of Indian professionals in various fields.
Bilateral trade has seen significant growth over the past decades. India is one of Qatar’s key trading partners, accounting for around 6% of Qatar’s total imports, equivalent to $2bn. Meanwhile, Qatar’s exports to India represent about 13% of its total exports, valued at approximately $12bn.
On his part, Sheikh Dr. Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, Deputy Chairman of the Qatari Businessmen Association, praised the level of bilateral relations, which have been supported by numerous mutual investments across several vital sectors, in addition to various cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries.
He stressed that India is a major destination for Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, while Qatar imports a wide range of Indian products in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, and more.
Sheikh Dr. Khalid further emphasized that Qatar offers an attractive investment environment, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, modern economic legislation, and strategic location as a gateway to regional markets. He reiterated that QBA provides its full support as an effective platform to enhance cooperation between the private sectors of both countries, explore joint ventures and partnerships, and open new horizons for trade and investment collaboration.
