VP Dhankhar to attend FIFA world cup opening in Qatar

New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday embarked on a two-day visit to Qatar during which he will represent India at the inauguration of the FIFA World Cup.

Dhankhar is visiting Doha at the invitation of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar.

“Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar emplanes for Doha on an official visit to Qatar to represent India at the inauguration of the FIFA World Cup 2022,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said on Twitter.

Besides attending the inaugural ceremony of the football World Cup, the vice president will also interact with members of the Indian community during his visit.

The vice president’s visit would be an opportunity to join a close and friendly country Qatar as it hosts a major sporting event and also to acknowledge the role played and support extended by Indians in this World Cup, the MEA statement said.

India and Qatar enjoy close and friendly relations with multi-faceted partnership extending to areas of trade, energy, security, defence, health, culture, education, among others, the MEA statement said.

In the last financial year, bilateral trade crossed USD 15 billion (one billion=100 crore).  Qatar plays an important partner in India’s energy security and India participates in the gulf nation’s food security.

India and Qatar would be celebrating 50 years of establishment of full diplomatic relations next year.

The MEA statement said people-to-people ties form an important element of bilateral relationship with over 840,000 Indians in Qatar.