Goyal to visit Doha from 6-7 Oct to fast-track India-Qatar free-trade pact

New Delhi: Commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal will visit Doha from 6-7 October to co-chair the first meeting of the India–Qatar Joint Commission on Trade and Commerce with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani in a bid to expand trade and cooperation with the Gulf region.

The two sides will hold wide-ranging discussions on reviewing trade performance, addressing existing barriers, and enhancing investment flows, the commerce ministry said in a statement on Sunday. Talks are expected to focus on the proposed India–Qatar Free Trade Agreement, as both countries work towards finalizing the terms of reference for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), it said.

Strategic partnership

The CEPA framework, if agreed upon, would mark India’s second such initiative in the Gulf after the UAE and is seen as a strategic effort to secure stronger trade footholds amid shifting regional alliances.

The visit marks a significant step in deepening economic engagement with Qatar, one of India’s key trading partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), with bilateral trade estimated at over $14 billion in 2024-25.

The discussions will also cover cooperation in areas such as finance, agriculture, environment, tourism, culture, and healthcare, reflecting the broad scope of the partnership.

“This is a critical engagement as both sides seek to build on the momentum created during the Amir of Qatar’s visit to India earlier this year,” the statement said.

During that visit in February 2025, the two countries elevated their joint working group on trade and commerce to a ministerial-level Joint Commission to drive a more structured dialogue on economic matters.

Goyal’s visit, his first to Qatar, is also expected to give a fillip to private sector partnerships. A high-level business delegation representing leading Indian industries will participate in the inaugural meeting of the India–Qatar Joint Business Council, aimed at facilitating business-to-business engagements and identifying new areas for collaboration.

The delegation will also meet representatives from Qatar Chamber, Qatar Financial Centre, Invest Qatar, and the Qatar Free Zones Authority.

On the sidelines of the commission meeting, Goyal will hold discussions with key Qatari dignitaries and leading businessmen from the Qatar Chamber and the Qatari Businessmen Association, the ministry said.

The minister is also expected to engage with members of the Indian diaspora, including representatives from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (Doha Chapter) and the Indian Business and Professionals Council, which play a vital role in fostering economic ties between the two countries.

Investment push

Experts noted that the talks come at a time when India is seeking to diversify energy and trade partnerships in the Gulf to secure supply chains and investment flows amid geopolitical uncertainty. Qatar remains one of India’s largest LNG suppliers, and strengthening trade beyond hydrocarbons is now being viewed as a priority for both sides.

India-Qatar trade stood at $14.15 billion in FY25, reflecting steady growth but a heavy energy hit. India ran a $10.78 billion trade deficit, driven by petroleum imports making up 89℅ of total imports, said Ajay Srivastava, founder, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Over 800,000 Indians live and work in Qatar, forming a crucial people-to-people link and a major source of remittance.

The September 2025 Israeli airstrike in Doha, the first in any GCC state, exposed the limits of US protection, pushing Qatar to diversify ties, said Srivastava. Facing regional insecurity, Qatar sees India as a stable Asian partner for investment, technology, and strategic collaboration, he said.