India, Qatar sign seven pacts on sharing information to combat hawala and terror financing, cooperation in skill development, education, health, sports, Customs issues and tourism
India and Qatar on Sunday agreed to share Intelligence to combat ‘hawala’ transactions and terror financing as the two countries signed seven agreements and decided to move beyond the trading relationship and get into strategic investments.
Cooperation and investment in areas of skill development, education, health, sports, cooperation and mutual assistance in Customs related issues besides a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in tourism were also signed on Sunday. The MoU on Customs matters included resolving the issues of under-invoicing and over-invoicing as well as money laundering issues. The various sectors that were being viewed, include Railways, agro-processing, solar energy as also Defence and general manufacturing.
At the end of wide-ranging talks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a two-day visit, had with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and Qatari leadership, the two sides decided to constitute an inter-Ministerial high-level joint committee to regularly review all bilateral matters, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.
The two sides highlighted the need to “isolate” the sponsors and supporters of terrorism and agreed that urgent action against all such entities, which support terrorism and use it as an instrument of policy, must be taken.
“Crucial agreements were signed today, which will give new strength to India-Qatar ties,” said Modi.
“Sheikh Tamim and I had wide ranging talks on how India and Qatar can further expand bilateral ties,” he tweeted.
An MoU was signed between the Finance Intelligence Unit of India and Qatar Financial Information Unit to share Intelligence on illegal movement of money through ‘hawala’.
“The two sides further agreed to take action against illegal transfer of money,” a joint statement issued after the talks said.
Under this pact, the two sides also agreed to exchange financial Intelligence to combat terrorism financing and other economic offences.
Briefing reporters, Secretary (Economic Relations) Amar Sinha said: “They (Qatari side) also realise that terror does pose a threat to both of us and to our region. Both the sides felt that time has come that we need to move beyond the trading relationship and get into strategic investments.”
Strongly condemning the phenomenon of international terrorism, Modi and the Emir resolved to cooperate together to root out this global menace.
They asserted that acts of violence, terrorism and extremism cannot be justified under any circumstances, regardless of their motivation, in all their forms and manifestations.
“The two leaders highlighted the need to isolate the sponsors and supporters of terrorism and agreed that urgent action against all such entities, which support terrorism and use it as an instrument of policy, must be taken,” the statement said.
The two sides also underlined the need to “disrupt terrorist movements, stopping all sources for financing of terrorism and countering terrorist propaganda through internet”.
An MoU was also signed between Qatar Investment Authority and External Affairs Ministry for investment in National Investment and Infrastructure Fund between the two countries that would facilitate foreign investment from the gas-rich Gulf state.
Sinha said it involves establishing a framework for promoting Qatari investment in India including in asset reconstruction in public sector undertakings whose assets are in distress and getting FDI.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the security situation in West Asia, Middle East and South Asia while expressing “grave” concern over the situation in Syria, Iraq, libya and Yemen. They reiterated the importance of peaceful resolution of these issues through dialogue and political negotiations.
Modi was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour at the Emiri Diwan, the seat of power of Qatar’s ruler, that was followed by official bilateral talks between the two leaders.
At the outset, Modi personally extended greetings to the Emir, who celebrated his 36th birthday two days ago. The Prime Minister had called him on that day to convey the greetings over phone.
Modi also called on the Father Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani here. “Final bilateral engagement is an important meeting with the Father Emir of Qatar. PM Narendra Modi calls on him at Old Emiri Diwan,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Sheikh Hamad was the Emir of Qatar from 1995 till 2013.
Earlier, at his first engagement of the day, Modi addressed 20 top Qatri business leaders. Highlighting India’s “investment-friendly policies”, he invited them to “grab” the vast opportunities for business, especially in the infrastructure sector, while promising to remove “bottlenecks” identified by them.
Qatar’s business community had some questions related to rules and and clearances, to which Modi said his Government had changed rules and norms to enable easier FDI in a number of sectors, sources said.
He specifically mentioned sectors like Railways, Defence, manufacturing and food processing. He also spoke about the big opportunity existing in the tourism sector.
The Prime Minister told them that his Government will continue to work for easing the norms and rules further to make it easier to do business in India.
Qatar is an important trading partner for India in the Gulf region with bilateral trade in 2014-15 standing at $15.67 billion. It is also one of India’s key sources of crude oil.
later, dwelling on the issue of corruption while addressing the Indian diaspora at the end of his two-day visit to Qatar, Modi said, “We have only cleaned up the surface (on corruption) and a detailed clean-up remains.”
“We have stopped the sweets of many and in doing so, I have also faced problems. But I get the strength to face these problems from the love received from 125 crore Indians,” he said, likening criticism of the Government’s action to a child getting angry on being deprived of a sweet by his mother.
Modi, who was repeatedly cheered by the Indian community members, said efforts to ensure financial transparency, discipline and efficiency have started yielding good results.
“Can you imagineIJ We have saved Rs 36,000 crore per year by stopping leakage and theft in various Government schemes,” he said.
Modi said 1.62 crore fake ration cards have been detected and saved crores through subsidised wheat, rice, kerosene and lPG.
later, Modi left Qatar for Switzerland on the third leg of his five-nation tour that will also take him to the US and Mexico.