Were Indian Navy veterans in Qatar ‘spying’ for Israel? Can New Delhi intervene?

India’s diplomatic challenges in West Asia continue to grow. After playing the balancing act between Israel and Palestine, the focus has now shifted to Qatar. The matter at hand is a big concern for New Delhi as it involves Indian citizens – eight Navy veterans, who have been sentenced to death. The verdict came as a shocker to the Indian government, which has said it will explore “all legal options”. What will New Delhi do? Can the Indian Navy veterans be saved from the gallows? We take a look at the case and what is likely to happen next. What were Indian Navy veterans doing in Doha? Eight former Indian Navy officers were arrested on 30 August 2022 in Doha by Qatar’s State Security Bureau, the country’s spy agency. They worked for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a defence services provider company, owned by an Omani national, a retired squadron leader of the Royal Omani Air Force Khamis al-Ajmi. He too was arrested last year but was released in November 2022. The Navy veterans, who were working in their personal capacity, were reportedly overseeing the induction of Italian U212 stealth submarines in the Qatari Emiri Naval Force (QENF). After reports of the arrest surfaced in October 2022, the website of Dahra Global has been taken down. It claimed to provide training, logistics, and maintenance services to the Qatari naval force. However, now the company has a new website and it does not mention its connection to QENF, according to a report in Financial Express. On 30 May, Dahra Global closed its operations in Doha and all its former employees, a majority of them Indians, have since returned home.

What are the charges against the eight Indian men? The arrested men have been identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh. They served in the Indian Navy for up to 20 years and held important positions including that of instructors in the force, according to a report in NDTV. The veterans were reportedly arrested on undeclared charges and put in solitary confinement. Reports said that they were held for espionage. A person briefed on the case told Financial Times (FT) that the eight Indians had been charged with spying for Israel. However, they will be able to appeal against their sentences. Israel has not responded to a request for a comment from the publication.

What action has the Indian government taken? The men were arrested in August last year but the Indian Embassy was informed about their arrests only weeks later. On 1 October 2022, India’s ambassador to Qatar and deputy head of the mission met the former naval officers. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)has been monitoring the situation and has extended all possible support to the arrested men, The Indian Express reported quoting government sources. The case has been taken up at various diplomatic and political levels. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar visited Doha for the FIFA World Cup inauguration in November, raising expectations that he would address the issue of the officers. However, it appears that the matter was not discussed. In December, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in Parliament that the detention of eight former Indian Navy officers was “a very sensitive case” and assured MPs that “their interests are foremost in our minds. Ambassadors and senior officials are in constant touch with the Qatar government. We assure they are our priority.” [caption id=“attachment_13304942” align=“alignnone” width=“637”] The Ministry of External Affairs has called the verdict ‘shocking’ and pledged to take up the matter with Qatari authorities. File photo/PTI[/caption] Following the verdict, the MEA said in a statement, “We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options.” “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,” it added. The release of the veteran poses a big challenge to the New Delhi. How are India-Qatar ties? India and Qatar have historically shared a friendly relationship. A turning point in the ties has been Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s November 2008 visit to Qatar, making him the first Indian premier to visit the nation. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power, the Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, visited India in 2015. This was followed by a visit to the Muslim nation by the Indian PM in 2016 and multiple visits by S Jaishankar, signifying thriving bilateral ties between the two nations. Defence cooperation and trade are key elements of the India-Qatar partnership. India was the world’s fourth-largest importer of liquefied natural gas in 2021 and got 40 per cent of it from Qatar. Indians constitute the largest expatriate community in Qatar – around 800,000 live and work in the country. However, there have been a few recent hiccups. In June, tensions erupted after BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks against Prophet Muhammad on a TV show. Qatar was the first country to raise objections and demand a public apology from India. India acted quickly to arrest the fallout of the controversy. The case of the eight Indians has now put the spotlight on the diplomatic ties between the nations. [caption id=“attachment_13304952” align=“alignnone” width=“659”] Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Qatar PM Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. File photo/PTI[/caption] What happens next? Government sources told The Indian Express that “just like GOI [Government of India] cannot release a foreigner under trial in India, other countries also have their own judicial processes”. The government is following rules to abide by international laws and the laws of Qatar. According to a report in Financial Express, there is an existing agreement between India and Qatar regarding the transfer of convicted prisoners to India. It allows them to serve their sentences in places where their families can visit. However, the officers have been awarded the death penalty, raising grave concerns for India. But all hope is not lost. The families of the Indian men have filed a mercy plea to the Emir of Qatar, reports The Indian Express. The law in Qatar allows the Emir to pardon convicts during Ramadan, Eid and Qatar’s National Day, which falls on 18 December . But whether this courtesy will be extended to the Indian Navy veterans remains to be seen. With inputs from agencies