2025-10-08
QBA Welcomes Indian Commerce, Industry Minister; Goyal Calls on Qatari Businessmen To Visit India
The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) hosted a luncheon in Doha yesterday in honour of Piyush Goyal, the Minister of Commerce and Industry of India, in the presence of Indian ambassador Vipul.
The event was held during the minister’s visit to Qatar, where discussions focused on joint investment opportunities between the two countries, especially following the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to New Delhi earlier this year.
Goyal was welcomed by QBA chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, alongside QBA deputy chairman Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani al-Thani and QBA board member Saud Omar al-Mana.
The event was held during the minister’s visit to Qatar, where discussions focused on joint investment opportunities between the two countries, especially following the visit of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to New Delhi earlier this year.
Goyal was welcomed by QBA chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim al-Thani, alongside QBA deputy chairman Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani al-Thani and QBA board member Saud Omar al-Mana.
Also attending the luncheon were QBA members Sheikh Mansour bin Jassim al-Thani, Khalid al-Mannai, Nasser Suleiman al-Haidar, Ashraf Abu Issa, Nabil Abu Issa, Maqbool Habib Khalfan, Youssef al-Mahmoud, and Dr Mohamed Althaf, as well as QBA deputy general manager Sarah Abdallah.
The meeting addressed the potential opportunities for co-operation between the Qatari and Indian business sectors across various economic fields. Discussions also included the investment climate and areas of potential collaboration between companies in both countries.
Goyal expressed his gratitude to QBA, praising the developed infrastructure he witnessed during his visit, along with Qatar’s attractive investment environment and economic and financial stability.
The minister noted that Qatar is among the fastest-growing economies in the region, enjoying a strong trade surplus driven by its energy exports, while also making significant efforts to diversify its economy by investing in sectors such as industry, technology, and logistics services.
He highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries, pointing out that India’s strength lies in its human capital, with nearly 1bn people connected to the internet. This connectivity is enabling India to position New Delhi as a global hub for artificial intelligence as part of its national strategy.
Goyal also stated that his meetings with Qatari government officials were constructive and productive, affirming that major Indian companies plan to visit Qatar, particularly the free zones, to explore investment opportunities in logistics and transport sectors. He extended an invitation to Sheikh Faisal and QBA members to visit India, either to explore investment opportunities or for tourism.
Sheikh Faisal noted that Qatar-India relations are deep-rooted and historic, emphasising that most Qatari institutions and companies, whether public or private, benefit from the expertise of Indian professionals in various fields.
He also mentioned that the Sheikh Faisal Museum holds a collection of rare and ancient Indian artefacts, highlighting that the bilateral relationship goes beyond economics and extends to culture. For example, Qatar participated in the recent book fair in India, where the English edition of the book ‘Qatar as We Lived It’ was launched in New Delhi.
Bilateral trade has seen significant growth over the past decades. India is one of Qatar’s key trading partners, accounting for around “6%” of Qatar’s total imports, equivalent to “$2bn”. Meanwhile, Qatar’s exports to India represent about “13%” of its total exports, valued at approximately “$12bn”.
Sheikh Dr Khalid praised the level of bilateral relations, which have been supported by numerous mutual investments across several vital sectors, in addition to various cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries.
He stressed that India is a major destination for Qatari Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports, while Qatar imports a wide range of Indian products in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, and more.
Sheikh Dr Khalid further emphasised that Qatar offers an attractive investment environment, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, modern economic legislation, and strategic location as a gateway to regional markets. He reiterated that QBA provides its full support as an effective platform to enhance co-operation between the private sectors of both countries, explore joint ventures and partnerships, and open new horizons for trade and investment collaboration.
The meeting addressed the potential opportunities for co-operation between the Qatari and Indian business sectors across various economic fields. Discussions also included the investment climate and areas of potential collaboration between companies in both countries.
Goyal expressed his gratitude to QBA, praising the developed infrastructure he witnessed during his visit, along with Qatar’s attractive investment environment and economic and financial stability.
The minister noted that Qatar is among the fastest-growing economies in the region, enjoying a strong trade surplus driven by its energy exports, while also making significant efforts to diversify its economy by investing in sectors such as industry, technology, and logistics services.
He highlighted the vast potential for cooperation between the two countries, pointing out that India’s strength lies in its human capital, with nearly 1bn people connected to the internet. This connectivity is enabling India to position New Delhi as a global hub for artificial intelligence as part of its national strategy.
Goyal also stated that his meetings with Qatari government officials were constructive and productive, affirming that major Indian companies plan to visit Qatar, particularly the free zones, to explore investment opportunities in logistics and transport sectors. He extended an invitation to Sheikh Faisal and QBA members to visit India, either to explore investment opportunities or for tourism.
Sheikh Faisal noted that Qatar-India relations are deep-rooted and historic, emphasising that most Qatari institutions and companies, whether public or private, benefit from the expertise of Indian professionals in various fields.
He also mentioned that the Sheikh Faisal Museum holds a collection of rare and ancient Indian artefacts, highlighting that the bilateral relationship goes beyond economics and extends to culture. For example, Qatar participated in the recent book fair in India, where the English edition of the book ‘Qatar as We Lived It’ was launched in New Delhi.
Bilateral trade has seen significant growth over the past decades. India is one of Qatar’s key trading partners, accounting for around “6%” of Qatar’s total imports, equivalent to “$2bn”. Meanwhile, Qatar’s exports to India represent about “13%” of its total exports, valued at approximately “$12bn”.
Sheikh Dr Khalid praised the level of bilateral relations, which have been supported by numerous mutual investments across several vital sectors, in addition to various cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding signed between the two countries.
He stressed that India is a major destination for Qatari Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports, while Qatar imports a wide range of Indian products in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food, pharmaceuticals, and more.
Sheikh Dr Khalid further emphasised that Qatar offers an attractive investment environment, thanks to its advanced infrastructure, modern economic legislation, and strategic location as a gateway to regional markets. He reiterated that QBA provides its full support as an effective platform to enhance co-operation between the private sectors of both countries, explore joint ventures and partnerships, and open new horizons for trade and investment collaboration.
Source: GULF TIMES