Carrot or stick: What can India do to seek concessions from Qatar on espionage row?
Story highlights
The Indian government Thursday said it was following the matter closely and would take it up with the Qatari authorities.
Qatar on Thursday (Oct 27) surprised New Delhi by sentencing eight Indian nationals to death after a court found them guilty of spying.
The eight men were working for a Qatari firm Dahra Global, which was linked to the Qatari military and reportedly advising it on a top-secret submarine programme.
The Qatari intelligence accused these eight Indians of passing on secret data to other nations and subsequently detained them in August last year.
trending now
)
Hamas-run govt says 700 Palestinians killed in 24 hours as Israel intensifies operations across Gaza
)
11 climbers die in volcanic eruption in Indonesia, search ops halted due to lava discharge
)
Morning brief: Ex-US ambassador to Bolivia arrested, and more
)
India state election results: PM Modi's BJP scores a sweeping 3/4 in crucial test before 2024 final
)
New Zealand on edge: Suspicious packages with fake baby covered in blood found outside US, Israeli embassies
)
Mizoram Assembly Elections 2023 Results Live Updates: BJP ally MNF confident of securing another term
)
US shoots down drones, assists multiple commercial vessels attacked in Red Sea by Yemen’s Houthis
)
New York stabbing attack: Four killed in Queens neighbourhood as police shoots suspect dead
)
When Tom Hanks worked as Bellman and delivered a bag to Cher in her hotel room
)
This groundbreaking new drug is all set to increase life span of large dogs
)
Taylor Swift, Simone Biles bring star-power to stand during Packers vs Chiefs
)
Indian PM Modi hails four-state election results as victory of 'politics of development'
)
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire trailer out! Titans team up to battle new monsterverse villain
)
CID star Dinesh Phadnis aka Fredericks is on ventilator support: Report
)
NY fashion designer Mrinalini Kumari who's dressed Beyonce wants Indian artisans to get the spotlight
Reportedly, the owner of the firm, a retired member of the Royal Omani Air Force, was also arrested by Qatar along with the eight men but was released in November last year.
Watch: Qatar court announces death sentence to eight Indian workers
The Indian government “expressed deep shock” at the verdict, adding that “all legal options are being explored”.
The development risks triggering a diplomatic dispute between the two nations, who share deep trade and people-to-people ties.
What legal options are available to India?
The Indian government Thursday said it was following the matter closely and would take it up with the Qatari authorities.
It must be noted that India and Qatar in 2015 signed an agreement on the transfer of sentenced prisoners during the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s trip to the South Asian country.
Under the agreement on extradition of convicts, Indian nationals sentenced in Qatar can be sent to their home country to serve the remaining part of their jail term.
It remains to be seen whether New Delhi would invoke these provisions to seek the extradition of those eight individuals and whether Qatar would agree to it.
Secondly, India can also escalate the matter to the International Court of Justice if it feels that due process is not being followed. Qatar has not yet revealed details of charges against the men, stirring concerns about the lack of transparency.
For now, New Delhi might push for an appeal against the ruling within the Qatari judicial regime and seek immediate relief. A lot will depend on how the Qatari government responds to India’s requests for cooperation on this sensitive issue.
Economic pressure
India is one of the largest buyers of liquefied natural gas, and Qatar is hoping to secure a new long-term LNG contract with India.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is also keen on signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India. The GCC is a regional organisation, with six members: The Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Using this leverage, New Delhi may ask for significant concessions from Qatar.
)
