Qatar Financial Centre has signed a memorandum of understanding with PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry to deepen trade, investment and business connectivity between Qatar and India, adding a private-sector channel to a bilateral economic relationship already targeted for significant expansion by 2030.
The agreement creates a framework for joint promotion, investor outreach and market-entry support, with both sides expected to work alongside Invest Qatar and Qatar Chamber on initiatives that include a dedicated roadshow in India. The focus will be on presenting Qatar’s business environment to companies from India, sharing sectoral intelligence and connecting investors, institutions and industry leaders across the two markets.
The MoU gives QFC a direct route to engage PHDCCI’s network of more than 150,000 companies across India, including large businesses, mid-sized firms and small enterprises. It also gives PHDCCI members a structured channel to assess Qatar as a regional base, particularly for financial services, technology, logistics, professional services, infrastructure-linked ventures and other sectors aligned with Qatar’s diversification strategy.
QFC chief executive Mansoor Rashid Al-Khater said the agreement would provide companies from India with a clearer route to establish a regional presence through QFC, supported by its legal, regulatory and tax environment. PHDCCI chief executive and secretary general Dr Ranjeet Mehta described the partnership as a step towards wider trade, investment and knowledge exchange between the two economies.
The pact follows a series of business engagements involving PHDCCI delegations in Qatar. A delegation visited Doha from January 27 to 31, holding meetings with Qatar Chamber, Qatar National Bank, QFC, Invest Qatar, Qatar Science and Technology Park and Qatar Free Zones Authority. Discussions centred on investment facilitation, financial services, innovation-led enterprises and opportunities linked to Qatar’s economic diversification agenda.
Qatar Chamber had earlier hosted PHDCCI representatives in Lusail, where business leaders reviewed opportunities for cooperation in sectors including real estate, technology, financial services, artificial intelligence, PropTech, fintech, sustainability and gems and jewellery. Qatar Chamber officials placed bilateral trade at about QR47 billion in 2024, underlining India’s position among Qatar’s key commercial partners.
The new MoU fits into a wider diplomatic and economic push between Doha and New Delhi. Qatar and India elevated trade and investment cooperation during high-level engagements in 2025, with both sides setting a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030. Qatar also announced a commitment to invest $10 billion in India, while the Qatar Investment Authority moved towards opening an office in India, signalling a broader institutional approach to capital deployment.
Energy remains the backbone of the relationship, with liquefied natural gas and related products accounting for a large share of Qatar’s exports to India. The diversification effort, however, is becoming more visible. Food products, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, services, digital economy ventures and infrastructure-related businesses are gaining attention as both governments and industry bodies seek to reduce dependence on a narrow trade basket.
For Qatar, the agreement supports its National Vision 2030 objective of building a more diversified, knowledge-driven economy. QFC’s platform allows up to 100 per cent foreign ownership, full repatriation of profits and a 10 per cent corporate tax on locally sourced profits, making it attractive for companies seeking a regulated base in the Gulf. Its onshore structure also helps firms operate in Qatar while using the country as a gateway to wider Middle East and Africa markets.
For companies from India, the value lies in access to Qatar’s advanced infrastructure, free-zone ecosystem, sovereign-backed investment landscape and expanding demand for specialised services. Sectors such as digital transformation, clean technology, healthcare, logistics, education, professional consulting and manufacturing support services are expected to draw attention as the roadshow and follow-up programmes take shape.
The agreement also reflects the growing role of chambers, financial centres and investment-promotion agencies in driving bilateral commerce. Rather than relying only on government-to-government mechanisms, Qatar and India are increasingly building institutional bridges that can support business matching, market intelligence, regulatory navigation and investor confidence.
The agreement creates a framework for joint promotion, investor outreach and market-entry support, with both sides expected to work alongside Invest Qatar and Qatar Chamber on initiatives that include a dedicated roadshow in India. The focus will be on presenting Qatar’s business environment to companies from India, sharing sectoral intelligence and connecting investors, institutions and industry leaders across the two markets.
The MoU gives QFC a direct route to engage PHDCCI’s network of more than 150,000 companies across India, including large businesses, mid-sized firms and small enterprises. It also gives PHDCCI members a structured channel to assess Qatar as a regional base, particularly for financial services, technology, logistics, professional services, infrastructure-linked ventures and other sectors aligned with Qatar’s diversification strategy.
QFC chief executive Mansoor Rashid Al-Khater said the agreement would provide companies from India with a clearer route to establish a regional presence through QFC, supported by its legal, regulatory and tax environment. PHDCCI chief executive and secretary general Dr Ranjeet Mehta described the partnership as a step towards wider trade, investment and knowledge exchange between the two economies.
The pact follows a series of business engagements involving PHDCCI delegations in Qatar. A delegation visited Doha from January 27 to 31, holding meetings with Qatar Chamber, Qatar National Bank, QFC, Invest Qatar, Qatar Science and Technology Park and Qatar Free Zones Authority. Discussions centred on investment facilitation, financial services, innovation-led enterprises and opportunities linked to Qatar’s economic diversification agenda.
Qatar Chamber had earlier hosted PHDCCI representatives in Lusail, where business leaders reviewed opportunities for cooperation in sectors including real estate, technology, financial services, artificial intelligence, PropTech, fintech, sustainability and gems and jewellery. Qatar Chamber officials placed bilateral trade at about QR47 billion in 2024, underlining India’s position among Qatar’s key commercial partners.
The new MoU fits into a wider diplomatic and economic push between Doha and New Delhi. Qatar and India elevated trade and investment cooperation during high-level engagements in 2025, with both sides setting a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030. Qatar also announced a commitment to invest $10 billion in India, while the Qatar Investment Authority moved towards opening an office in India, signalling a broader institutional approach to capital deployment.
Energy remains the backbone of the relationship, with liquefied natural gas and related products accounting for a large share of Qatar’s exports to India. The diversification effort, however, is becoming more visible. Food products, electrical equipment, pharmaceuticals, gems and jewellery, services, digital economy ventures and infrastructure-related businesses are gaining attention as both governments and industry bodies seek to reduce dependence on a narrow trade basket.
For Qatar, the agreement supports its National Vision 2030 objective of building a more diversified, knowledge-driven economy. QFC’s platform allows up to 100 per cent foreign ownership, full repatriation of profits and a 10 per cent corporate tax on locally sourced profits, making it attractive for companies seeking a regulated base in the Gulf. Its onshore structure also helps firms operate in Qatar while using the country as a gateway to wider Middle East and Africa markets.
For companies from India, the value lies in access to Qatar’s advanced infrastructure, free-zone ecosystem, sovereign-backed investment landscape and expanding demand for specialised services. Sectors such as digital transformation, clean technology, healthcare, logistics, education, professional consulting and manufacturing support services are expected to draw attention as the roadshow and follow-up programmes take shape.
The agreement also reflects the growing role of chambers, financial centres and investment-promotion agencies in driving bilateral commerce. Rather than relying only on government-to-government mechanisms, Qatar and India are increasingly building institutional bridges that can support business matching, market intelligence, regulatory navigation and investor confidence.
Topics
Qatar