Editorial on the release of eight former Indian naval officers by Qatar

The release of eight former Indian naval officers by Qatar this week after being jailed for nearly a year and a half and initially sentenced to death marks a victory for New Delhi’s quiet diplomacy. Seven out of eight people have been confirmed to return to India. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi began a two-day visit to Doha aimed at building on the goodwill generated by the release of former prisoners between two countries with cordial but complicated relations. Much remains unclear about the case against the former officials, including details of the arrangements through which their release was secured. Some reports have suggested that they were accused of spying for Israel, but neither India nor Qatar have ever confirmed those claims. Last week, India signed a $78 billion deal to import liquefied natural gas from Qatar until 2048. Again, there is no clarity on whether the gas deal was in any way part of the agreement between the two countries that helped facilitate the release of the Indians. Who were arrested in Qatar.

While transparency is a virtue in governance, public silence can be helpful in diplomacy. Unlike a series of disputes with countries from Canada to the Maldives, when the Indian government either publicly criticized a key partner or allowed it to continue unchecked, New Delhi dealt with the crisis in Doha with maturity. There was no expulsion of Qatari diplomats; There were also no social media campaigns by influential people associated with the government mocking or abusing the Arab nation. Even though India insisted on the innocence of the eight people held in Qatar, it engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations that first resulted in their sentences being commuted and ultimately pardoning them. The favorable outcome from India’s perspective stands in stark contrast to the challenges facing New Delhi elsewhere – Canada has doubled its investigation into allegations of an Indian hand in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist, last year, while the Maldives has released Indian soldiers. Planning to take out. From the archipelago. Now, as Mr Modi visits Doha, a new test awaits his government and party. So far, India’s response to the release of the people in Doha has been measured. New Delhi has thanked the Emir of Qatar and refrained from overt domestic chest-beating despite general elections being round the corner. For India’s sake, Mr Modi should not back down from this approach.