Close on the heels of a Qatari court sentencing eight retired Indian Navy personnel to death in a case of alleged espionage for Israel, the Indian government expressed shock and said all-out efforts would be made to secure their release. There has been a studied silence from both Doha and New Delhi on the exact nature of the case and its ramifications. The eight Indians were working on a submarine project with a private company for the Qatar government.
They were arrested last year and spent several months in solitary confinement. Only later were they allowed consular access and contact with their families. The case is a crucial test for India’s foreign office mandarins at a time of great turmoil in West Asia given the Israel-Hamas conflict and the key role Qatar is expected to play in the release of Israelis held hostage by Hamas. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has a tough task ahead and has to play a deft balancing act to ensure a reprieve for the Indians, so crucial in a key election year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal rapport with several leaders in the Gulf may come in handy here. More than eight lakh Indians currently live and work in the West Asian nation. India is heavily dependent on Qatar for its supply of natural gas. There have been some hiccups in relations between the two countries. In the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the Al Jazeera television channel, which is financed by Qatar, ran a strident campaign against the move. BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s comments against the Prophet drew the sharpest condemnation from Qatar among the West Asian countries.
In recent years Qatar has gained a great deal of prominence. American military installations are being hosted by the country which has close ties with Iran. It has also played host to the Taliban and is seen as a key mediator for the release of Israelis in Hamas captivity. Given the complex West Asia situation, India has to tread carefully. It has the option of approaching the International Court of Justice to secure the release of the eight Indians as it had done in the case of Kulbhushan Yadav, who has been in captivity in Pakistan since 2016. A 2015 agreement between the two countries on prisoner exchange may be invoked whereby those convicted in Qatar can serve out their sentence in India and vice versa. Whatever the future course of action it is imperative that India marshals all its diplomatic skills to ensure the safe return of the Navy veterans, who have served the country with distinction during their illustrious careers.
