In his first visit to Oman and Qatar during the tenure of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is all set to make a mark in the bilateral relations with the Gulf countries. During his three-day visit, economic crisis, energy security and global issues will be on the talk of the agenda.
Prime Minister will be in Oman on Saturday (November 8) where he will hold talks with Sultan Qaboos bin Al Said and Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd Mahmoud Al Said on the enhancement of bilateral trade and investments.
Dr. Singh on the eve of departure to Oman and Qatar said that the present global financial melt down provides a unique opportunity for India to attract surplus Gulf fund for developmental needs and to further accelerate mutually beneficially trade and investment flows into each other’s countries.
On the second half of his visit, Manmohan Singh will be visiting Qatar November 9-10, and there he will meet the Amir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani, and other ministers promoting mutual understanding.
Underlining the importance of India-Qatar relations, PM in a statement said, “We attach great importance to our ties in Qatar, which is one of the largest and most reliable suppliers of our energy needs from the region. Given the complementarities that exist between us, I am confident that we can build a mutually beneficial strategic partnership in this sector.”
Dr. Singh also mentioned that he will have detailed discussions on the issues related to the safety and welfare of Indian citizens working in Oman and Qatar.
As India shares a special relation with Gulf region, both in terms of culture and trade, Prime Minister’s visit will contribute to further expansion and diversification of bilateral cooperation between the countries.
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