New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) Hailing the strategic partnership between the two countries, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday welcomed a delegation of Qatar leadership centre on their first visit to India. Secretary (CPV & OIA) Arun K Chatterjee welcomed the visiting delegation and shared with them perspectives regarding Strategic Partnership between the two nations.

In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “Secretary [CPV & OIA] Mr Arun K Chatterjee welcomed a delegation of Qatar leadership centre on their maiden visit to India. He shared with them perspectives about India-Qatar Strategic Partnership. He also conveyed his best wishes for their interaction at institutions of excellence in New Delhi and Mumbai.”

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani established the Qatar Leadership Centre in 2008. It aims to choose people with promising administrative abilities and talents in public and private sectors and to refine and develop their capabilities with comprehensive knowledge and skills to achieve excellence in their leadership and administrative roles across various state institutions, according to the official statement.

Earlier in October, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal met Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed in Doha and expressed optimism about growing economic engagement between the two countries.

“Glad to meet Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed. We recalled our discussions in New Delhi in August, when he led a large investment delegation from Qatar to India. Look forward to continued engagement for increasing bilateral trade and investment ties,” Goyal posted on X.

India shares close ties with Qatar anchored in historical commercial ties and people to people contacts. The diplomatic relations between India and Qatar were established in 1973. India and Qatar marked 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties in 2023. The bilateral cooperation between two nations has been growing in various sectors through regular and substantive engagements, including at the highest levels of the two Governments, according to Indian Embassy in Qatar. The relationship between the two countries was elevated to strategic partnership during the Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani’s State Visit to India in February this year.

–IANS

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