Qatar test for India’s resolve

According to reports, the eight men, as employees of a private firm that provides training and other technical services to Qatar’s armed forces, were part of a secretive programme overseeing the induction of Italian midget submarines into the Qatari Navy. These are highly advanced vessels and other countries would have been interested in acquiring information about them. The firm itself, Dahra Global, a subsidiary of an Oman-based company, has been shut down and its other Indian employees have returned home.

While India has enhanced its defence partnerships with several countries in West Asia only in recent years, Qatar and India had signed a defence agreement as far back as 2008, setting the stage for close cooperation in this sphere. The latest developments have also come at a tricky geopolitical moment when West Asia is roiled by the Israel-Hamas conflict. Some unconfirmed reports have suggested the men were spying for Israel, and this could further complicate the issue as Qatar and Israel are involved in delicate negotiations to find a solution to the situation in the Gaza Strip.

New Delhi’s studied silence on the matter, after expressing deep shock at the death sentences and vowing to explore other legal options, perhaps is a reflection of the sensitivities involved. Even in the case of former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been in the custody of Pakistani authorities since early 2016 on charges of espionage, the Indian side has preferred to maintain silence while working behind the scenes to free him. The strained relationship between India and Pakistan is a factor in Jadhav’s case but in the case of the eight former naval personnel, India should leverage its close ties with Qatar to work out some formula to bring the men home.

Perhaps an agreement signed by India and Qatar in 2015 on the exchange of convicted prisoners could be the basis for finding a solution, along with a mercy plea filed by the relatives of the eight men. India describes West Asia as part of the country’s extended neighbourhood and has worked assiduously in the past few years to forge strategic ties with countries of the region. Its presence in I2U2, which includes Israel, UAE and the US, as well as the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, to enhance connectivity and economic linkages is evidence of Delhi’s commitment to engage more with the region. This case will serve as a test of India’s diplomatic resolve and standing in the region.