Next steps after examining ruling, discussion with legal team: MEA on 8 Indians in Qatar

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

India on Friday said its next steps in the case relating to eight former Indian Navy personnel will be decided after examining the ruling of a Qatari court and discussions with the legal team handling the matter. Qatar's Court of Appeals has commuted the death sentences handed out to the Navy veterans by another court earlier.

"The interests of Indians and their family members is our foremost concern," Ministry External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing. "We will be discussing the next possible steps with the legal team and the family members," he added.

Bagchi said he would not like to say anything more as the matter is sensitive. The Indian nationals, who were working with Doha-based Al Dahra Global Technologies, were taken into custody in August 2022 in a case of alleged espionage. While the charges against them were not made public by Qatari authorities, they were sentenced to death by the Gulf country's Court of First Instance in October this year.

The private firm provided training and other services to Qatar's armed forces and security agencies. India had moved the Court of Appeal in Qatar against the death sentence last month.