India has announced its pursuit of all legal avenues after a court in Qatar sentenced eight former Indian naval officers to death on undisclosed charges.
Reports suggest these individuals, who were employed by a private company in Qatar, were arrested last year under suspicion of espionage. Neither Qatar nor India have disclosed the specific charges against them.
On Thursday, the Indian government expressed deep shock over the verdict and stated its intention to discuss the matter with Qatari authorities.
India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement emphasizing the significance of this case and the government’s engagement with the families and legal representatives of the men, adding that all legal options were being explored. Due to the confidential nature of the case proceedings, further comments were withheld.
The statement describes the men as employees of a private firm called Al Dahra, although they are widely known to be former Indian Navy personnel. Their arrest in August of the previous year garnered widespread attention in India, but the precise details of the charges against them have remained undisclosed.
While some sources have alleged that the men were accused of compromising sensitive information, neither government has confirmed these allegations. The BBC has reached out to the Qatar embassy for clarification.
Experts believe that this diplomatic tension could strain relations between the two nations. “There are over 700,000 Indians in Qatar, and we have close economic ties. The Indian government has been closely monitoring the case, but it may need to escalate it to the highest level to ensure the safety of these individuals,” commented Deepa Gopalan, former Indian ambassador to Qatar.
In December, India’s foreign minister, S Jaishankar, informed parliament that the government had been in constant contact with Qatar regarding this “very sensitive case,” emphasizing the priority placed on the well-being of these individuals.
The Gulf region is home to millions of Indian expatriates, a significant portion of whom work in semi-skilled and unskilled low-income positions. These migrant workers have played a pivotal role in the economic development of Gulf Arab nations and contribute significantly to remittances for India.
