In a deal of particular significance for the large expatriate community, India and Qatar signed an agreement on transfer of sentenced persons on Wednesday, allowing Indian convicts in Qatar to complete their remaining sentence in India and vice versa.
The agreement was one of the six signed during the State visit of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, here.
“Under this agreement, Indian prisoners convicted in Qatar can be brought to India to serve the remaining part of their sentence. Similarly, Qatari Citizens convicted in India can be sent to their home country to serve their sentence,” a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
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This will immediately benefit the 96 Indians currently lodged in Qatar jails. The six-lakh-strong Indians are the largest expatriate group in Qatar.
The two sides discussed Qatar’s participation in the “Make in India” programme in the defence sector and job-creation opportunities for Indians in the infrastructure projects Qatar is undertaking for the FIFA World Cup it is hosting in 2022.