India’s government says it’s appalled that Qatar sentenced eight Indian nationals to death following their reported detention in the Persian Gulf country last year on espionage charges.
“We are deeply shocked by the verdict of death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgment,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The identities of the eight have not been made public, although they are widely reported to be former Indian military personnel who were working in Qatar as defense contractors.
The foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday it is “in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options.”
The ministry added that it would “not be appropriate” to comment further, given the “confidential nature of proceedings of this case.”
The case has been shrouded in mystery since the detention of the eight by Qatari authorities was first reported in August 2022. The development was seen as delicate in the relationship between two influential powers.
Thursday’s death sentences could damage relations between the Hindu nationalist government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar, a strategically located and wealthy Persian Gulf nation with broad reach among Muslim countries.
Qatari authorities have not publicly stated what the eight Indian nationals were charged with.
Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishanker last year described them as “ex-servicemen” of India.
Indian news reports have gone into more detail.
The Hindu newspaper reported that all eight are former personnel of the Indian navy and were employed by Dahra Global Technologies & Consultant Services in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
“In their work with Dahra Global Technologies & Consultant Services, the former navy personnel were reportedly involved in training various security-related service providers of the state of Qatar,” the paper reported Thursday. “The company was also involved in producing high-tech Italian-origin submarines that are known for stealth capabilities.”
The individuals were among hundreds of thousands of Indians living and working in Qatar, a country of 2.8 million people.
India’s foreign ministry statement on Thursday said:
“We attach high importance to this case and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities.”
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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