In a huge diplomatic win for India, Qatar has released eight Indian ex-naval officers who were imprisoned for spying charges. Though they were sentenced to death, the sentences were commuted in December following India’s intervention.
A statement by the Ministry of External Affairs read: “The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Emir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals.”
The eight Indian nationals 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 were working on a submarine project with a private company for the Qatari authorities and were arrested in 2022.
Neither the Qatar nor the Indian authorities made public the charges faced by the Indians. Meanwhile, footage from Delhi International Airport showed the elated Naval officials returning home. All seven of them praised the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the efforts to free them and chanted ‘Bharat Mata ki jai’ on their arrival home.
The Union government welcomed Qatar’s decision to release the Indian nationals, expressing gratitude to the Amir of Qatar for facilitating their return. The MEA issued an official statement affirming India’s appreciation for the diplomatic resolution.
The Union government released an official statement welcoming the decision to set the veteran officers free, saying, “The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and homecoming of these nationals.”
The MEA reaffirmed its commitment to provide consular and legal assistance to the detainees and vowed to pursue the matter with Qatari authorities. With the legal process ongoing, the government remains vigilant about safeguarding the interests of the Indian nationals involved.
