PM Modi arrives in Doha to meet Emir of Qatar after UAE visit

After concluding a two-day trip to the UAE, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on Wednesday evening for a crucial meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to further develop the historically close and friendly relations between the two countries.

PM Modi reached Doha after a whirlwind two-day trip to the UAE, where he addressed a well-attended Indian community event, the prestigious World Governments Summit, and also inaugurated UAE's first Hindu stone temple among other engagements.

Before he departed from New Delhi on Tuesday, Modi, in a statement said, he was looking forward to meeting Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, "under whose leadership Qatar continues to witness tremendous growth and transformation." India and Qatar enjoy historically close and friendly relations and the multi-faceted ties between the two countries have continued to deepen in recent years, he pointed out.

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India's announcement on PM Modi's visit to the Qatari capital came on Monday, hours after seven out of eight jailed former Indian Navy personnel returned home, nearly three-and-half months after a Qatari court handed them a death sentence that was subsequently commuted to jail terms ranging from three to 25 years.

Qatar released all the eight Indians.

The former Indian Navy personnel apparently faced charges of espionage, but neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against them public.

PM Modi, in his departure statement, also said the presence of over 8,00,000-strong Indian community in Doha is a "testament to our strong people-to-people ties." Besides holding talks with the Amir, Modi is scheduled to meet other high dignitaries in Qatar as well.

Earlier in the evening, after PM Modi "successfully concluded" his UAE visit, Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Saif B Zayed accorded him a warm send-off.

With inputs from PTI.