India, Qatar Discuss Defense Cooperation

India, Qatar Discuss Defense Cooperation (NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI - November 10, 2008: India has struck a defense agreement with Qatar which includes the possibilities of stationing Indian troops in the Arab country, sources in the Indian Defence Ministry said. The cooperation agreement was inked during the ongoing visit to the Arab world by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The two countries also have joined in a maritime security arrangement, which will be extended to other countries, a senior Indian Defence Ministry official said. India and Qatar had agreed in June 2007 to jointly produce weapons and equipment. An agreement to this effect was reached during the visit of then-Indian Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt and senior Qatari defense officials. The defense cooperation pact signed during Singh's visit also will pave the way for joint production of weaponry at Indian facilities. Indian Defence Ministry sources said Qatar is keen to collaborate with Indian private and state-owned defense companies, which in turn have entered into some sort of a tie-up with American companies for weapon and equipment production Before his arrival in Qatar, Singh discussed areas of defense cooperation with Oman. Currently, India and Oman's defense cooperation is limited to training of Oman personnel at Indian facilities and joint naval exercises.