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The Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) has announced its partnership with the Earthna Centre for a Sustainable Future for ‘Qatar Sustainability Week’ (QSW) 2025, taking place from November 1-8. Now in its 10th year, QSW is led by Earthna, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and Qatar Foundation. The event will see the participation of Qatar’s community, NGOs, and the private sector in advancing sustainability-focused initiatives and practices. As part of QSW 2025, the IBPC Qatar Sustainability Forum will organise a series of activities designed to promote awareness, collaboration, and innovation in sustainable development across the business and education sectors. IBPC president Thaha Muhammed stated: “As the Indian community, we reaffirm our commitment to adopting sustainable practices within the corporate and business sectors while inspiring the wider community, including school students, to take meaningful action.”

The Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar, in association with the embassy of India, recently hosted an exclusive interactive session with the visiting delegates of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI), India.The delegation comprised leading companies representing key sectors including healthcare and wellness, food processing and agri products, automobile and spare parts, information technology and digital services, textiles and garments, construction and infrastructure, and renewable energy.The session provided a valuable platform for meaningful networking and the exploration of potential business expansion opportunities in Qatar for the delegates’ respective products and services.Sandeep Kumar, deputy chief of mission at the Embassy of India, Doha, stressed on the importance of India–Qatar bilateral trade relations.Highlighting the opportunities for trade, Thaha Muhammed Abdul Kareem, president of IBPC Qatar, emphasised how the relationship between India and Qatar has been strengthening, particularly with the visit of His Highness the Amir of Qatar to India in February 2025, which further opened avenues for collaboration. He also noted the improving trade relations between the two countries.PHDCCI presented an overview of its activities, after which each delegate introduced their company and areas of business interest. With strong national and international linkages, PHDCCI actively shapes economic and industrial policies at both federal and state levels.

India, which exported agarwood worth $4.25mn globally in 2024-25, has showcased before key stakeholders in Qatar, its premium quality domestic agarwood, particularly from the North-Eastern region.In this regard, the Embassy of India in Doha, in coordination with the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MoDoNER), Government of India, and the Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC), organised a hybrid buyer–seller meet on agarwood and its derivatives.Around 150 participants from India and Qatar, including 46 exporters from India and nearly 35 perfume importers, hypermarkets, and supermarkets from Qatar, joined the event.Leading buyers from Qatar expressed "strong interest" in exploring opportunities for collaboration in perfumery, retail, and hospitality sectors, where agarwood and its derivatives enjoy deep cultural, and economic significance."There is a growing demand for agarwood products in Qatar and the wider GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) region," said an official of the organisers.The meet showcased the federal government's initiatives to enhance sustainable cultivation, streamline exports, and ensure global competitiveness.Angshuman Dey, Joint Secretary, MoDoNER, delivered a keynote address highlighting the significance of the Indian agarwood industry.He emphasised the unique heritage and premium quality of Indian agarwood, particularly from the North-Eastern region, as well as the Government of India’s initiatives to enhance sustainable cultivation.The meet saw participation from representatives of Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya — the key North-Eastern states where agarwood is traditionally cultivated and processed.India’s agarwood industry today offers a wide portfolio of products — from agarwood chips, oils, incense, and attars to perfumes, wellness items, and even innovative products like agarwood tea. Globally, India exported agarwood worth $4.25mn (86,173kg) in 2024–25. Recognizing the rising international demand, the federal government has substantially expanded export quotas.For 2024–27, export quotas for agarwood chips have been increased from 25,000 kg to more than 151,000 kg, and for agarwood oil from 1,500 kg to more than 7,000 kg.In parallel, digital licensing systems and national quality standards are being introduced to ensure sustainability, transparency, and compliance with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations.The event showcased the power of collaboration by connecting India’s exporters with Qatar’s leading buyers, opening new avenues for trade, innovation, and partnerships in the fragrant world of Oud.