India, Qatar To Discuss Trade And Investment Promotion In Joint Business Forum

New Delhi, Feb 18 (KNN) India and Qatar will discuss ways to further promote bilateral trade and investments during talks on Tuesday between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and his Qatari Counterpart Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani, according to an official statement released on Monday.

Both ministers will attend the Joint Business Forum in New Delhi on February 18, as announced by the commerce and industry ministry. The forum is being organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

The forum will serve as a platform where top business leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders will convene to explore investment opportunities, technological collaboration, and economic partnerships.

It aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue between the business communities of both nations.

Leading enterprises from energy, infrastructure, finance, technology, food security, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and innovation sectors will be part of the high-level Qatari delegation.

"These discussions will enable Indian and Qatari businesses to explore joint ventures, foreign direct investment (FDI), technology partnerships, and policy-driven collaborations," the ministry statement added.

Official data indicates that India received USD 1.5 billion of FDI from Qatar during the period between April 2000 and September 2024.

However, bilateral trade between the two countries has declined to USD 14 billion in 2023-24 from USD 18.77 billion in 2022-23, highlighting the need for renewed focus on strengthening economic ties.

(KNN Bureau)