Ambassador of India H E Dr. K Srikar Reddy speaking at the event.
Doha, Qatar: Newly appointed Ambassador of India to Qatar H E Dr. K. Srikar Reddy has pledged to work closely with the Indian community further to strengthen the strategic partnership between Qatar and India, while announcing an increase in daily passport and police clearance certificate service slots at Indian community centres.
Addressing a community reception in honour of the new ambassador at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) Ashoka Hall yesterday, Dr. Reddy said he was honoured to assume his responsibilities in Qatar and described the Indian community as a “living bridge” between the two countries.
Highlighting longstanding India-Qatar ties, the Ambassador said bilateral relations were rooted in centuries of civilisational contact, maritime trade and people-to-people connections and had expanded significantly in recent years.
He noted that the relationship now includes high-level exchanges between the leadership of both countries and close cooperation in trade and investment, energy, healthcare, education, culture and tourism. The relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership during the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s visit to India in February last year.
Citing a recent meeting with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, Dr. Reddy said the Qatari official had praised the Indian community for its hard work, discipline, innovation and law-abiding nature.
Dr. Reddy thanked H H the Amir, Qatar’s government and people for their hospitality and support for the Indian community. He also praised outgoing Deputy Chief of Mission Sandeep Kumar for his accessibility and contribution to strengthening India-Qatar economic and commercial relations.
He said Indians had made significant contributions in healthcare, education, engineering, technology, construction and other sectors.
Ambassador of India H E Dr. K Srikar Reddy is welcomed by Indian community leaders at a reception at the ICC yesterday.
A key announcement at the reception was the increase in daily appointment slots for passport and police clearance certificate services. Dr. Reddy said, following discussions with the ICC and ICBF, the slots at ICC would be increased from 100 to 150 per day, while those at ICBF would rise from 60 to 100 per day.
He noted that the centres were also offering convenient timings, including evenings, weekends and holidays, to facilitate access to consular services. “Timely and efficient delivery of consular services” would be among his priorities, he said, adding that he wanted the Indian Embassy to be a “home away from home” for the Indian community.
Dr. Reddy also highlighted the welfare of the Indian diaspora, which he said numbers more than 830,000. He said the Embassy would work with the four apex bodies and community organisations to support vulnerable sections of the community, including blue-collar workers.
On economic cooperation, the Ambassador said India’s rapid economic transformation was creating new opportunities for Qatar-India partnership. He noted India’s 7.8 percent economic growth during the latest quarter and highlighted its position as the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.
He identified renewable energy, green hydrogen, digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and space, alongside traditional energy, as areas offering significant potential for cooperation. He also called on Indian professionals and business leaders to contribute to expanding bilateral economic, healthcare and educational partnerships.
At the reception, ICC President A.P. Manikantan, ICBF President Shanavas T. Bava, ISC President E.P. Abdurrahman and IBPC President Thaha Muhammed welcomed Dr. Reddy and praised his warm and approachable nature.
The community leaders expressed their readiness to work closely with the Ambassador and the Embassy in serving the Indian diaspora and further strengthening the longstanding India-Qatar relationship.
