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India signs defence, security agreements with Qatar
PTI | Doha
Giving strategic depth to India-Qatar relations, the two countries have signed landmark defence and security agreements paving the way for joint maritime security and sharing of intelligence on threats posed by terrorists.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who arrived in Doha from Muscat last evening on the second leg of his three-day maiden visit to the energy-rich Gulf region, held wide-ranging delegation level talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani.
The talks resulted in two agreements on defence cooperation and security as well as law enforcement matters. The defence pact lays out a structure for joint maritime security and training as well as exchange of visits, officials said.
The security agreement would lay out the framework for sharing of information and data base on threats posed by extremists and other security and legal matters.
Prime Minister will meet Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani this afternoon to hold wide-ranging discussions.
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, who joined the high level delegation this morning, met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry Abdullah bin Hamad al Attiyah to discuss the possibility of importing an additional 2.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to meeting growing energy needs back home.
India currently buys 5 million tonnes a year of LNG from RasGas of Qatar under a long-term contract. The ex-ship price of USD 2.53 per million British thermal unit (mmBtu) is considered a 'steal' in current times when LNG prices are breaching USD 20 per mmBtu.
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