Indian Officers Free at last
Qatar has recently released eight former Indian naval officers who were previously sentenced to death on the charges of spying for Israel. On Monday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed gratitude towards Doha for the release of the octet. However, the specifics regarding their arrest, sentencing, and commutation have not been revealed yet.
“We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the ministry said in a statement in New Delhi.
The men were reportedly arrested in August 2022, due to accusations that they had passed sensitive submarine-related information to Israeli intelligence. Neither Qatar nor India officially confirmed the charges.
What happened in Qatar
Eight Indian officers were arrested on charges of spying in August 2022. They were sentenced to death in October of the same year.
However, the naval officers have now been freed and are thankful to the Indian government for their safe return. According to one of the freed men who spoke to India’s ANI news agency, “We are happy that we have returned to India safe and sound. We would like to thank Prime Minister Modi as his personal intervention made this possible, and Amir of Qatar for allowing this to happen.”
Another freed officer was quoted as saying, “We wouldn’t be standing in front of you if it wasn’t for the intervention at the highest level and the relentless efforts of the government of India.”
The eight men were identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
The men were employees of the Al Dahra consulting company, which advises the Qatari government on the acquisition of submarines.
Earlier, India had said it was “deeply shocked” when the death sentences were first announced, and promised to take up the verdict with the Qatari authorities.
India and Qatar: Firm Allies
The arrest of the men last year made headlines in Indian and Arab media.
The eight were senior employees of Dahra Global Technologies and Consulting Services, a company advising on a Qatari programme aimed at obtaining high-tech, Italian-made, submarines that could evade radar detection. The private firm has since been shut down.
While briefly disturbing ties, the case appears unlikely to have a significant effect on relations between New Delhi and Doha, which are firm allies.
The pair continue to have extensive economic ties. Last week, they signed a deal worth tens of billions of dollars that will secure exports of Qatari liquified natural gas until the end of 2048.
