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The Ministry of Finance reported that Nirmala Sitharaman met Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Sayed on the sidelines of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank 2026 Annual Meeting in Doha. The two ministers reviewed opportunities to deepen bilateral trade and investment links. Discussions covered implementation of Qatar’s $10 billion investment pledge in India and the planned opening of a Qatar Investment Authority office in the country according to the ministry.
Qatar’s minister highlighted investment prospects in India’s ports airports highways and power sectors the Ministry of Finance said. Opportunities for Indian companies in Qatar were identified in food security pharmaceuticals petrochemicals education healthcare and start-ups. Both sides expressed keen interest in completing the bilateral investment treaty and decided on accelerated engagement along with free trade agreement negotiations the ministry added.
The meeting also addressed the need to restore normal trade between India Qatar and other Gulf countries. Sitharaman stressed the importance of unimpeded maritime navigation and commerce through the Strait of Hormuz according to the ministry statement. A separate roundtable hosted by the Qatari Businessmen Association in Doha allowed the Indian side to present the country’s economic growth story and encourage Qatari businesses to pursue trade and investment partnerships.
The Indian delegation noted that real GDP growth accelerated to 7.8 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2026 while investment growth stood at 11.9 percent demonstrating resilience amid global uncertainty. Data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry places India-Qatar bilateral trade at over $15 billion annually with Qatar remaining a key supplier of liquefied natural gas. The accelerated treaty talks build on earlier rounds that had slowed in recent years the ministry figures show.
An Indian envoy told Gulf Times in May 2026 that bilateral trade volume was on track to touch the $14 billion to $15 billion bracket for fiscal 2026 despite logistical hurdles from regional tensions. Rating agency ICRA data shows Qatar supplied more than 40 percent of India’s LNG imports in the year leading to February 2026 before disruptions shifted sourcing patterns toward suppliers such as the United States and Oman. The Ministry of Finance announcement comes as both governments seek to stabilise energy and trade flows amid ongoing Gulf challenges.
Qatar Investment Authority assets have expanded in recent years with the fund pursuing diversification according to regional central bank assessments. Establishment of its office in India would support the $10 billion commitment first outlined several years ago. Officials from both sides are expected to arrange follow-up technical sessions in the coming months to sustain the accelerated timetable the ministry indicated.
