- Prime Minister Modi condemned attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure during a call with Emir Sheikh Tamim
- Modi conveyed Eid greetings and thanked Qatar for support to the Indian community there
- Both leaders agreed on ensuring safe, free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani late Thursday and expressed strong condemnation of the attacks on the region's energy infrastructure that have upended global supply. He also conveyed Eid greetings.
"The Prime Minister spoke with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and conveyed heartfelt Eid greetings to him and the people of Qatar. During the discussion, the Prime Minister reiterated India's solidarity with Qatar and expressed strong condemnation of the attacks on the region's energy infrastructure," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.
Modi also expressed his gratitude for the care and support provided to the Indian community in Qatar and shared his hope for peace and stability to prevail in the region. Indians constitute the largest expatriate community in Qatar, with an estimated population of around eight lakh.
Both leaders affirmed their shared stance for safe and free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the statement said.
The PM also spoke to France's Emmanuel Macron, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq of Oman and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim on the Gulf conflict.
LNG Supply Disruption
Iranian strikes on Qatar have damaged infrastructure accounting for nearly 17% of the country's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, in a major escalation of the Middle East conflict, QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi said on Thursday.
The unprecedented attack struck two of Qatar's 14 LNG trains and one of its two gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities, taking offline an estimated 12.8 million tonnes per year of LNG output. Repairs could take between three and five years, al-Kaabi said.
The disruption is expected to cost Qatar roughly $20 billion in lost annual revenue and has heightened concerns over global energy security, particularly for key importers across Europe and Asia.
QatarEnergy has declared force majeure on long-term LNG supply contracts for up to five years, impacting shipments to countries including Italy, Belgium, South Korea and China. Though India has not been mentioned in the statement, it is one of the large buyers of LNG from the Gulf country.
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