India has promised action to save eight former naval officers sentenced to death in Qatar for spying. The incident could strain ties between the two countries, who have enjoyed good diplomatic relations for half a century.
India's external affairs ministry said it was “deeply shocked” by the sentence handed down last week to the eight men employed by Al Dahra, a Gulf-based firm in Qatar, where foreign workers make up 86 percent of the country’s population.
The ministry said it was "exploring all legal options" after the sentencing, and foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar met relatives of the eight veterans.
The government "attaches the highest importance to the case" and it "will continue to make all efforts to secure their release", Jaishankar said on X.
Few details, much speculation
Neither Qatar nor India has provided details or stated the charges against the eigh men, who were arrested in August 2022.
Some local and international media have reported that the eight had been charged with spying for Israel on a Qatar submarine project.
Some speculate the Al Dahra employees were tasked by Iran to gather information about newly-commisionned vessels from Italy.
Military experts like Colonel D.S. Cheema dismissed such reports, saying no defence company would spy on a “customer” without a good reason.
“Also, I don’t think these eight men had either the scope or access to spy on the project,” the retired colonel told the web-based Hindi-language Lallantop news service.
He suggested that “corporate rivalries” were behind the incarceration of the naval veterans on trumped up charges.
"It can also be a fallout of the Israel-Hamas war,” he said, referring to India’s backing for Israel in the current conflict in Gaza.
Doha is trying to negotiate with the Palestinian militant group Hamas for the release of over 200 hostages seized during its 7 October attack on Israel, which has responded with air strikes on Gaza.
Time running out
Neetu Bhargava, the sister of one of the retired officers, Purnendu Tiwai, called for a “personal intervention” by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, since nothing else has worked to free the men.
“We don’t have much time left ... Qatar is a friendly country and it can repatriate them to any other friendly country. We want all eight of the men back, not just my brother,” said Bhargava.
Modi visited Qatar in 2016, a year after Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani flew to Delhi to cobble together the foundation of a strong partnership.
Qatar and India celebrated fifty years of diplomatic ties in 2023, but commerce has been sluggish, at 14 billion euros in 2022, up from 4.3 billion euros in 2010, with trade tilted in Qatar's favour.
Back door negotiations
Qatar has had no known executions since 2003, but courts have handed out the death sentence to 21 people including 18 foreigners between 2016 and 2021, and only the Emir can hand out pardons.
“Surely we must pursue legal options for bail and consular access,” said Swasti Rao, an expert at India’s Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis.
“We can also approach the International Court of Justice, but my readings and many others like me feel backdoor diplomatic channels are now perhaps the best option left.”
