HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani addressing the Qatari-Indian Business Forum in New Delhi yesterday.
Qatar and India enjoy a strong strategic partnership in trade and investment, affirmed HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani yesterday at the Qatari-Indian Business Forum in the Indian capital New Delhi.
“A considerable number of Indian companies are undertaking the implementation of many major projects in Qatar in infrastructure, information technology, energy, construction and water and electricity fields,” he stated.
Further, there are a total of 26, 100% Indian owned companies working in Qatar in various fields such as contracting, information technology, gold trade, and food stuff trade. There are also 6,497 Qatari-Indian companies working practically in all fields in the country.
The Minister stressed the strength of Qatari-Indian commercial exchange as this continued to grow in 2014, amounting to $18bn. The exports of Qatar to India amounted to $1.2bn in 2014, making India the third largest destination of Qatari exports. Qatar has also supplied India with almost 58% of its demands of LNG during 2014. Qatar’s imports from India, of equipment and electrical appliances, amounted to $463mn in 2014.
HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim affirmed that the Indian companies that want to invest in Qatar can benefit from the promising horizon of Qatari economy as Qatar is ranked 16 on the Global Competitiveness Index and enjoys a business environment considered the best of its kind. Qatar is also considered the most peaceful country in the Middle East.
Anil Wadhwa, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs of India, witnessed the signing of an agreement to establish Iyana Company for Hotel and Resort Management. The signatories were Sheikh Faisal bin Jassim al-Thani, chairman of Al-Sawari Holding and Amrutha Nair, CEO of Iyana Hotels and Resorts.
Another memorandum of Understanding was signed to establish a Medanta Medicity in Qatar.
The forum included a number of prominent Indian and Qatari businessmen. The Indian side included Yusuff Ali M A, managing director of LuLu International Group; Naresh Trehan, founder chairman of Medanta the Medicity; S N Subrahmanyan, CEO of Larsen and Turbo Limited; Dr A K Balyan, managing director and CEO, Petronet LNG; and Satish Sharma, executive director of Sun Overseas Company.
Qatari businessmen included HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, chairman of Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA); Mohamed Ahmed bin Tuwar, vice-chairman of Qatar Chamber (QC); Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser al-Thani, QBA board member; Sharidah Jubran al-Kaabi, QBA board member; Mohamed Ahmed al-Obaidly, QC board member; Yousif Darwish, prominent Qatari businessman, Dr Mohamed Nasser al-Qahtani, deputy CEO of Al-Meera; Abdulrahman Abdulla al-Ansari, CEO of Al-Tahwilah Company; Adel Abdulrahman al-Mannai, QC board member; Sheikh Ali bin Hamad bin Khalid al-Thani, leading Qatari businessman; Khalid Mubarak al-Dulaimi, CEO of Hassad Food Company; Abdulrahman Hamad al-Kaabi, managing director of Widam Food Company; Rashid Sarai al-Kaabi, QC board member; Ali Abdulatif al-Misnad, QC board member; Mohamed Juwhar al-Mohamed, QC board member and Ahmed Ali al-Kuwari, noted Qatari businessman.
Both Qatari and Indian businessmen saw the forum as a platform and gateway for further stronger co-operation between the two friendly countries. Further, Qatari businessmen said that India is key to the private sector of Qatar, in particular in the field of technology and skilled manpower. Business 16
Below: HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani interact with Yusuff Ali MA, prominent NRI and managing
director of LuLu Group, during a Qatar-India joint economic and business meet organised by the
Confederation of Indian Industry and Qatar Chamber yesterday in New Delhi.
