India’s top diplomat in Qatar has expressed optimism on the capability of Indian professionals to spur economic growth, saying that their expertise in various fields could serve as a bridge between investment opportunities available in the Qatari and Indian markets.
Dr Deepak Mittal, who recently took the helm of the Indian embassy here, made the statement during a virtual networking session hosted earlier by the Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC).
The event featured Indian experts who spoke on the challenges and opportunities in the fields of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), construction, IT, oil and gas, medical tourism, and education, among others.
Citing some 6,000 registered Indian companies operating in Qatar and the more than 700,000 Indians living here, Mittal said the “synergy and complementarity” provided by a large population of Indian professionals in different sectors could serve as a platform for collaboration between both countries’ experts.
“You can use your in-house talent…you are branding the Indian knowledge industry,” the ambassador pointed out, adding that the knowledge and information from research and development (R&D) activities of Indian technology experts in Qatar could be integrated in the IBPC network and utilise their know-how for the benefit of businesses.
The virtual networking session, which was attended by more than 300 professionals representing different sectors in Qatar, helped inform the participants of the opportunities that were identified and discussed at the event, Mittal said.
“Many a time, the information presented by the speakers are not readily available in one place. The perspectives shared during the event were more of the challenges faced by many companies operating in various fields,” said Mittal, who said he has set out an agenda that focuses on commerce, investment, and partnership between India and Qatar.
While both Qatar and India share a “strong partnership,” Mittal noted that there is still a lot of “unrealised potential,” whether in the trade or investment side.
“There are areas that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken on trade, tourism, technology, and investments,” Mittal said, adding that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has stressed the need to enhance the trade and investment partnership between Qatar and India.
Aside from investment opportunities related to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and in the construction industry, Mittal emphasised that other sectors, such as IT, tourism, entertainment, hospitality, and service, among other fields “remain open.”
He also urged the participants to identify sectors in India that offer investment opportunities, and showcase them to potential partners or investors from Qatar through trade visits and business delegations to India.
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