India, Qatar boost trade ties as Modi hosts Emir Sheikh Tamim in New Delhi

India and Qatar signs Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to expand business cooperation between the two countries, with a primary focus on energy trade, local media has reported.

The MoUs were signed on Tuesday between the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA), as well as between Invest India and Invest Qatar, Piyush Goyal, India's commerce and industry minister said at the inaugural session of the India-Qatar Business Forum in New Delhi.

The Minister was present along with his counterpart from Qatar, Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, where the MoUs were signed.

The agreements aim to expand business cooperation between India and Qatar, with a primary focus on energy trade, Goyal noted.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in India on a two-day state visit on Monday.

The Emir was welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the airport in New Delhi, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

“The visit will further strengthen the bonds of India and Qatar,” he said.

Trade and energy cooperation were the top agenda items for the Qatari Emir's meetings with the Indian leadership on Tuesday.

The visit marks a reset in bilateral ties following tensions caused by the incarceration of eight Indian Navy veterans two years ago.

Qatar's Emir previously visited India in March 2015.