Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, arrived in India for a two-day visit, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed to the airport to welcome him. On Tuesday (February 18), Sheikh Tamim is scheduled to meet with President Droupadi Murmu and Modi.
It is uncommon for the Indian Prime Minister to personally receive a visiting head of state at the airport. However, Modi broke protocol to extend a warm welcome to Qatar’s Emir.
Modi himself posted about this on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “I went to the airport to welcome my brother, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. I look forward to his productive visit to India and our meeting tomorrow.”
High-Level Delegation Accompanies the Emir
Qatar’s Emir arrived with a high-ranking delegation, including ministers, government officials, and business leaders.
According to Indian media outlet NDTV, Sheikh Tamim will first meet with President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Later, he will hold discussions with Modi at Hyderabad House. India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that a wide range of topics will be discussed during their meeting.
This marks Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani’s second visit to India; he previously visited New Delhi in 2015.