Context:
Relevancy for Prelims: Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award
Relevancy for Mains: India-Qatar Relations, arising issue of eight former Indian Navy officials held in Qatar and steps that India needs to take further |
Dahra Global Technologies
- The Omani Company: The veterans were working for Dahra Global Technologies, in an associated vertical based out of Doha.
- Training: The area of expertise of Dahra at Doha was in training the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF).
- Need an Examination: The company and the kind of work it has been doing since 2009-10 needs deeper examination, as the company website was deactivated soon after news broke of the naval officials being imprisoned.
India-Qatar Relations – Key Points
- A High Migration Population: Qatar has a unique demography where expatriates and migrant workers make up almost 88% of the population.
- Relations: The kingdom of Qatar has traditionally enjoyed a warm and cordial relationship with India.
- Various requests were made between 2006 and 2008 from various levels of the Qatari establishment and the QENF to provide training for their sailors and junior officers.
Cdr. Tiwari was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind in January 2019 for “enhancing India’s image abroad”. He is the first Indian armed forces veteran to be awarded this honor meant for non-resident Indians and a Person of Indian Origin. |
Also Read: Qatar Court Sentences 8 Ex Indian Navy Officials to Death: How It Affects India-Qatar Relations
Training the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF)
- Training the QENF was a vital aspect of India-Qatar bilateral defense cooperation and foreign policy.
- Lack of progress and delays on the Indian side led to private enterprises like Commander Purnendu Tiwari’s initiative.
Role of Commander Purnendu Tiwari and His Team
- Cdr. Tiwari established a successful enterprise in Singapore.
- His model provided a post-retirement career option for Indian Navy personnel.
- They were primarily involved in junior-level training and had no connection to submarine projects.
The Path Ahead
- Legal processes in Qatar have two levels left (Court of Appeals and Court of Cassation).
- The Emir has the authority to pardon or grant clemency.
- Qatar’s history does not heavily involve executions, but uncertainties remain.
- The veterans, mostly in their late fifties and sixties, could face life imprisonment if the death sentence is commuted.
Conclusion:
For India, Qatar is a friendly foreign country and there is an existing bilateral agreement to expatriate convicted citizens. However, Article 4 of the agreement excludes the death penalty. Now, the time has come for India to appeal to Qatar to consider a complete and unconditional pardon for all eight Indian navy officials which will be in the best interest of both countries.