In a major diplomatic achievement for the country, eight Indian Navy veterans were released by Qatar, 46 days after their death sentences, handed down last October, were commuted to jail terms of varying duration. They were arrested on alleged charges of espionage. However, neither Qatar nor India made the charges against them public. Seven of them returned home early Monday.

The eight nationals are Captains (retired) Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders (retired) Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, SK Gupta, BK Verma, and Sugunakar Pakala, and sailor Ragesh.

It was learned that Commander Tiwari stayed back in Doha and is likely to return to India soon.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be travelling to Doha in Qatar on Wednesday after his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra announced here on Monday, adding that the Prime Minister had “personally supervised” developments in the case.

“Prime Minister Modi had personally supervised this issue. This (the release) is proof of his leadership and also reflects the strength of India-Qatar ties,” the Foreign Secretary said.

While speaking to reporters, Kwatra added, “The Prime Minister has personally and constantly supervised all the developments in this case and has never shied away from any initiatives that would ensure the return of Indian nationals back home.”

The announcement about Modi’s visit to Qatar came a day after the Gulf nation released eight jailed former Indian naval personnel. “We are gratified by Qatar’s decision to release the Indians,” Kwatra said.

The Foreign Secretary mentioned that Modi and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, will hold wide-ranging talks to further expand bilateral ties. The Indians returned 46 days after their death sentences, handed down last October, were commuted to jail terms of varying duration.

Kwatra also expressed gratitude, saying, “We are grateful for their return. We deeply appreciate the decision of Qatar’s government and the Amir to release them. We are happy to have seven of those Indian nationals back. The 8th Indian national has also been released, and we continue to work with the Qatari government to see how quickly his return to India would be possible.”

In December last year, Prime Minister Modi met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai and discussed the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar.

This meeting was in the backdrop of Qatar commuting death sentence to jail terms to the eight veterans.  National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval played a role in the negotiations with the Qatari authorities in securing the release of the Indians, it was learnt.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said here on Monday India appreciates the decision by the Emir of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of the Indians, who were arrested in August 2022.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur welcomed the release of eight Navy veterans and said it strengthened the belief in seriousness and the ability of the Modi Government to protect its citizens at any cost.

“This homecoming of our Navy veterans is a moment of happiness and this further strengthens our belief in the seriousness and ability of the Modi government to protect its citizens at any cost,” Thakur said on X.

“Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi means the guarantee of life, limb and liberty of the people of India across the globe,” he said, adding that the veterans were detained “under some false charges”.  BJP and Congress welcomed the development.

The MEA in a statement said India appreciates the decision by the Emir of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of the Indians, who were arrested in August 2022.

“The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar,” the MEA said.

“Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” it said in a brief statement.

The Navy veterans were on October 26 given death sentences by Qatar’s Court of First Instance.  The Court of Appeal in the Gulf nation on December 28 commuted the capital punishment and sentenced them to jail terms for durations ranging from three years to 25 years.

The Court of Appeal had also given 60 days to appeal against the prison terms.

In December last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai and discussed the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar.

The Indian nationals, who worked with the private company Al Dahra, were arrested in August 2022 reportedly in an alleged case of espionage.  Neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against the Indian nationals public.

In May last year, Al-Dhara Global closed its operations in Doha and all those working there (primarily Indians) have since returned home.

India was also looking at the possibility of invoking provisions of a bilateral pact on the transfer of sentenced persons.

The pact inked between India and Qatar in 2015 provides for citizens of India and Qatar who have been convicted and sentenced for criminal offences to serve their sentences in their home country.