India, Qatar inked 7 agreements to boost cooperation

India and Qatar on 5 June 2016 signed seven agreements in various fields including assistance in custom matters, skill development and recognition of qualifications and health.
The agreements were inked after delegation-level talks between Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at Doha. Modi was on a two day visit to Qatar on 4 June to 5 June 2016.

Before the talks, Modi was given a ceremonial reception at the Emiri Diwan, the seat of power of Qatar's ruler.

The inked MoUs/Agreements include

• Agreement on assistance in Customs Matters: It promotes cooperation and mutual assistance between the two countries on matters pertaining to customs administration through exchange of information and intelligence.

• MoU on cooperation in the exchange of intelligence related to money laundering, terrorism-financing and related crimes: The MoU facilitates exchange of intelligence related to money laundering, terrorism-financing and related crimes and persons connected thereto. This was inked between Financial Intelligence Unit – India (FIU-IND) and the Qatar Financial Information Unit (QFIU).

• MoU on participation of Qatari institutional investors in Infrastructure projects in India: Under this, a framework will be established to facilitate participation of Qatari institutional investors in Infrastructure projects in India under NIIF. This MoU was inked between National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA).

• MoU for cooperation in Skill Development and Recognition of Qualifications: It aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries on skill development and mutual recognition of qualifications to facilitate mobility of skilled workers from India to Qatar. This was inked between the Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and the National Qualifications Authority/Supreme Education Council, Government of the State of Qatar.

• MoU on cooperation in Tourism: It aims at bilateral cooperation in the field of planning and developing of tourism, through marketing and promotion as also to support cooperation between private sector stakeholders.

• MoU for cooperation in the field of Health: It provides cooperation in areas of health, including interalia in occupational and environmental health, pharmaceuticals, medical education, exchange of the best practices in the field of primary healthcare, research in the field of health care, technology, health care system and exchange of medical experts and scientists.

• The First Executive Programme for MoU in the field of Youth and Sports: As a follow up to the existing MoU in the field of Youth and Sports, the first Executive Programme provides for exchanges and cooperation in sports activities, training camps for sports teams and exchange visits of leaders and officials etc between the two countries.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister held discussions with business leaders and invited them for investment in India. He asked the Qatari businessmen to recognize India’s potential and assured them to address the identified bottlenecks.

This is the second high level engagement between the two countries in 14 months. Earlier in March 2015, Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani was on a two day official visit to India.

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