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The Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar, in partnership with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and the Embassy of India in Qatar, recently hosted an exclusive Roadshow on Indian Luxury Trains – ‘Maharajas’ Express & Golden Chariot’ in Doha.The roadshow was held in the presence of Promila Gupta, Group General Manager, IRCTC, and aimed at promoting India’s premium rail-based luxury tourism offerings in the Middle East market, particularly among key stakeholders in Qatar’s travel and hospitality sector.IBPC Qatar president Thaha Muhammed Abdul Kareem highlighted the significance of India’s luxury railway journeys and their growing global appeal, while Indian ambassador Vipul underscored the strong tourism and cultural ties between India and Qatar, and the potential for expanding outbound luxury tourism through such flagship initiatives.Gupta delivered a presentation on IRCTC’s world-renowned luxury trains, the Maharajas’ Express and the Golden Chariot, providing detailed insights into their royal heritage, curated itineraries, onboard hospitality, and immersive cultural experiences, while also outlining partnership opportunities for tour operators and travel companies in Qatar.The roadshow served as a valuable networking platform, bringing together IRCTC representatives and leading travel and tourism professionals from Qatar, with the objective of strengthening cooperation and expanding luxury outbound tourism to India. The event reflected IBPC Qatar’s continued commitment to promoting bilateral business and tourism collaboration between India and Qatar, while showcasing India’s finest luxury rail journeys to the region. 

India’s top diplomat in Doha has expressed optimism that Qatar’s substantial liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports will meet the South Asian nation’s future energy requirements, supporting its expanding economy and ensuring a stable LNG supply. “The strides being made by India provide great opportunities for increasing trade between our two countries,” said Indian ambassador Vipul during the ‘IBPC Annual Connect 2026’ hosted recently by the Indian Business and Professional Council (IBPC) Qatar. The ambassador described energy trade as the backbone of India-Qatar relations, noting that bilateral trade volume in 2023-2024 stood at about “$14bn”. India imports nearly “$6 to 6.5bn” worth of LNG annually from Qatar, alongside “$3bn” in LPG and other petrochemical products, Vipul noted, adding that these supplies are secured through long-term agreements that provide stability amid global market volatility. A landmark deal worth “$78bn” will extend LNG co-operation for another “20 years beyond 2028”, ensuring continuity in India’s energy basket. “This agreement reflects the trust and strategic depth of our partnership,” said Vipul, emphasising Qatar’s reliability as a supplier. The ambassador also placed these energy flows in the wider context of bilateral commerce. “As I said, our bilateral trade is about $14bn, and during the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to India, both sides agreed that we should have the goal of doubling our bilateral trade by 2030,” he said, acknowledging that the target of “$30bn” may be ambitious but insisted there is “ground for us to be optimistic about”. India’s energy needs are projected to rise sharply as the country pursues its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of becoming a developed economy, the ambassador pointed out. He emphasised that natural gas is expected to play a central role in India’s transition to a cleaner energy mix, supporting manufacturing, infrastructure, and green growth. Qatar, meanwhile, is positioning itself as a cornerstone of India’s energy security, Vipul emphasised, reiterating that the long-term contracts between the two countries provide stability at a time when global energy markets remain turbulent. Vipul stressed that, beyond hydrocarbons, opportunities exist in renewables, infrastructure, healthcare, technology, and startups; however, LNG will remain the anchor of bilateral economic ties. “Our long-term energy co-operation is not just about numbers; it is about building a future of shared prosperity,” he said. The ambassador lauded Qatar’s continuous expansion of its LNG production capacity, amid India’s goals to diversify its energy imports and secure affordable supplies for its fast-growing economy. Vipul also noted that both nations have agreed to strengthen institutional mechanisms, including a Joint Business Council and a revived Joint Commission on Economic and Commercial Co-operation, to support the trade and investment agenda. 

The Indian Business and Professionals Council (IBPC) Qatar recently hosted its flagship event, ‘Annual Connect 2026, bringing together senior Indian and Qatari business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and professionals for high-level dialogue and strategic networking.Held under the theme ‘Unlock Potential and Accelerate Growth: Opportunities and Challenges’, the event reflected the strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between India and Qatar, particularly following the recent landmark visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to India. The forum served as a platform to explore new opportunities for collaboration, investment, and sustainable economic development in Qatar.In a special address titled ‘Looking Ahead: India-Qatar Bilateral Business and Professional Relations’, Indian ambassador Vipul said: “India and Qatar share a long-established relationship, with trade serving as a strong foundation that has led to a deep and enduring partnership. A large Indian community has made Qatar its home over several generations, drawn by the unmatched safety, security, and opportunities the country provides.“Today, relations between India and Qatar span all areas of human endeavour, including political engagement, diplomacy, trade, investment, culture, people-to-people connections, and technology, areas on which we are committed to building even stronger cooperation in the years ahead.”IBPC president Thaha Muhammed highlighted a milestone year for the organisation, noting the delivery of 111 events and the launch of several impactful initiatives. Among them was the IBPC Qatar Sustainability Forum, which received a Special Award at Qatar Sustainability Week, organised by Earthna, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.He also underscored the launch of the Indian Engineers Club, which provides a dedicated platform for Qatar’s 20,000-strong Indian engineering community, and the IBPC MSME Catalyst, which onboarded over 300 members to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Knowledge-sharing and inclusion initiatives also expanded through 43 Monday Bites sessions, the IBPC Readers’ Club, the Indian Women Excellence Network with 26 sessions, and platforms such as DataPoint and Converging Care.A high-level panel discussion, held under the same theme, featured senior leaders from government and industry, including Hamad Mohammed al-Nasr from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed al-Mulla from Invest Qatar, Khalid Abdulla al-Mana from Qatar Development Bank (QDB), and Ashraf Abu Issa from Abu Issa Holding Group, moderated by IBPC Board of Governors member and Coastal Holdings founder and CEO, Nishad Azeem.The panellists highlighted notable improvements in Qatar’s ease of doing business, including a significant rise in the establishment of fully foreign-owned companies over the past year. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry’s ongoing engagement with the private sector through business roundtables was recognised as a successful practice, with IBPC Qatar confirming plans to collaborate with the ministry to organise future sessions for its members.Speakers also noted regulatory reforms that have enabled private companies and family-owned businesses to transition into listed entities, supporting corporate growth and transparency. At the same time, challenges faced by local manufacturers were discussed, particularly the impact of protectionist policies in nearby markets that restrict access for Qatari producers while Qatar’s open market remains exposed to imports from those regions. 

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.