India and Qatar to accelerate trade and investment treaty talks

India and Qatar have agreed to accelerate negotiations regarding a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) and a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). During the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr. Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, to discuss expanding economic cooperation.

Key points of the discussions include the implementation of a USD 10 billion investment commitment from Qatar and plans to establish a Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) office in India. Both nations identified several sectors for potential partnership, including infrastructure (ports, airports, highways, and power), healthcare, pharmaceuticals, food security, petrochemicals, education, and start-ups.

Minister Sitharaman highlighted India’s economic resilience, noting a real GDP growth of 7.8 per cent in the first quarter of FY26 and a record annual gross FDI inflow of $94.53 billion. She also emphasized the importance of maintaining unimpeded maritime navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz to support normal trade between India, Qatar, and other Gulf nations.