23 International Journal of Sociology and Political Science www.sociologyjournal.in Online ISSN: 2664-7745, Print ISSN: 2664-7737 Received: 14-08-2024, Accepted: 13-09-2024, Published: 28-09-2024 Volume 6, Issue 2, 2024, Page No. 23-28 India Qatar relations under the Modi government: Continuity and changes Mohammad Shahnawaz Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India Abstract India and Qatar share historical and cultural ties that go back centuries, and it’s have been evolving over the years; however, the relations have gained more significance in recent times. When the 16th Lok Sabha results were announced on 16 May 2014, Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar (QPM) congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the phone. In a tweet thanking QPM, the Prime Minister said: "We will take India-Qatar ties to newer heights". The top ranks of Qatari authority back the PM in his endeavours. The current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken steps to strengthen the relationship between the two nations, building on the foundation laid by his predecessors. This paper explores the continuity and changes in India-Qatar relations under Modi's leadership looking at key areas such as trade, investment, energy, and defence. Further, to comprehend Continuity and changes in India-Qatar relations, this paper will focus on the political and socio-economic engagements between India and Qatar. It will analyse the various dimensions of their relationship, including head-of-state visits, diplomatic relations, cultural and educational exchanges, and counter-terrorism cooperation, as well as evaluate their agreements and disagreements in their relations in the pre- and post- 2014 period. At the same time, there have been some differences and challenges, such as issues related to labour rights and the Gulf blockade of Qatar. Nonetheless, authorities from both the side are attempting to resolve these disagreements and move ahead. Keywords: Counterterrorism, diaspora, diplomacy, energy, tourism Introduction India-Qatar relations seem fuelled by energy and people-to- people engagements. More than seven lakh Indians live in Qatar, and Qatar meets roughly 40% of India's LNG needs. This connection has been excellent recently. A 2008 defence and security cooperation framework agreement call for marine training, joint exercises, and developing defence industrial hubs in both countries. Qatar has prioritised forging strong links with a growing economic giant like India as it broadens its external relationships, while New Delhi has prioritised improving partnerships with a Gulf state that excels in the region and beyond (PANT, 2023) [22] . Further, India and Qatar have a long-standing relationship of friendship and cooperation, driven by regular and meaningful dialogue at the highest levels of government. This strong bond of friendship has been further strengthened by the significant contributions of the large, diverse, and highly skilled Indian population living in Qatar. The two countries have been actively engaging in a range of sectors, leading to the steady growth of their cooperation. The state of Qatar has always been significant for India. The Indian Subcontinent and the Arabian Peninsula have historically been neighbours due to their geographic proximity, marine linkages, cultural exchanges, and trading opportunities. India has been a geopolitical centre that has substantially shaped Qatar's foreign relations: from 1916 to 1971, Qatar was a British protectorate, and during this time it was informally a part of the British Indian Empire until 1947 (Onley, 2007: 11-60) [21] . Throughout most of the 20th century, India's relations with Qatar were dominated by a modest but thriving pearl import trade and the export of spices. The discovery of the Dukhan onshore oil field in 1940 and the country's first offshore field two decades later, followed by a sharp rise in global oil prices, significantly enhanced Qatar's fortunes. As Qatar's economy grew, so did the number of expatriate workers in the country. As Qatar gained its independence in 1971, India was one of just a few countries to immediately recognise it. In 1973, India also established relations with Qatar. After that period, both nations have been involved in an extensive range of diplomatic, commercial, defence, and cultural interactions. Since several high-level visits and the country's emergence as a popular tourist destination, bilateral relations between Qatar and India have expanded consistently over time. In 1999, 2005, and 2012, Emir H.H. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani paid a visit to India. An official visit to Qatar in November 2008 by India's then-prime minister, Manmohan Singh, marked a significant turning point in the bilateral relationship between the two countries (MEA, 2016). Over the years, trade between India and Qatar has become more diverse. India now exports cereals, machinery, and electronic goods to Qatar, while India imports hydrocarbons, plastics, and chemicals worth $17 billion from Qatar. However, the most important part of the trade between the two countries is liquefied natural gas (LNG). India gets about 80% of its LNG from Qatar (Kumar, 2016) [15] . The exponential growth of India's relations with Qatar (and other Gulf states) has been centred on seven major issues: Energy security, bilateral trade, the inflow of Indian expatriates to the region, maritime security, counterterrorism, two-way investment flow, and defence cooperation are among them. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office in 2014, the last two gained more attention. Energy security and Indian expatriates remain the most crucial aspects of bilateral relations. This highlights the complementary nature of relationships. India's