A leading English daily in India reported yesterday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to visit Qatar in June.
It has reported that Modi will visit Qatar on a separate tour in June after his visit of Iran next month. 
The Economic Times has reported that “Prime Minister Modi plans separate trips to Iran and Qatar in May and June 
respectively”.
The daily said the Indian PM will make a trip to Qatar early June where energy deals and diaspora issues besides regional challenges are expected to dominate the agenda. He is also expected to address a meeting of the Indian diaspora at a stadium in Doha on the lines of his previous meetings in Dubai, USA, Canada, UK, Australia and China.
“While there are indications that the trip to Qatar could be standalone, there are some speculations that Modi can visit Doha en route to Washington. Dates of June 4-6 are in the works for the visit to Doha,” the Economic Times has reported quoting sources.
On a query from Gulf Times, Indian ambassador Sanjiv Arora said: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi accords high importance to the historically friendly relations and multidimensional co-operation between India and Qatar and deeply appreciates the most gracious invitation of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani.
“As per normal protocol and practice, salient information on the dates and other aspects of the PM’s visit would be announced by the Government of India’s official spokesperson shortly before the visit.” 
It may be recalled that HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was in India in March last year. This was also the first visit by a head of state of an Arab country after Modi took charge as prime minister. Later HH the Emir extended an invite to the premier to visit Doha. 
India sources nearly 80% of its import of LNG from Qatar and this visit could witness some announcements by Qatar to invest in key Indian sectors, the newspaper 
reported.
Qatar will be third Gulf Co-operation Council country that Modi will be visiting after his trips to the UAE last August and Saudi Arabia this April that yielded substantial results in counter-terror initiatives and investments, Economic Times said.
While the current volume of Qatar’s FDI in India is modest, Qatar’s Sovereign Wealth Fund (Qatar Investment Authority) and other State-owned entities, as well as private investors in Qatar are keenly looking at attractive investment options in infrastructural sectors in India such as real estate, construction, roads and highways, airports and airlines, ports, LNG, petrochemicals and fertilisers; and tourism/hospitality, the daily added.