Diplomatic Crisis: Eight Indian Navy Veterans Sentenced to Death in Qatar

In a momentous setback to India’s ongoing diplomatic efforts to secure the release of eight former Indian Navy personnel, a court in Qatar has delivered a startling verdict, sentencing them to death. This noteworthy ruling, announced on Thursday, has evoked a strong and disconcerted response from the Indian government, which has characterized it as “deeply shocking” and pledged to explore all available legal avenues to address the situation.

The Indian nationals in question, all of whom were employed by the Doha-based firm Dahra Global, were taken into custody in August 2022. While the exact nature of the charges against them has not been disclosed by Qatari authorities, unofficial sources suggest that these individuals were engaged in a private capacity with Dahra Global, overseeing the induction of Italian small stealth submarines known as U2I2.

The arrested individuals, now facing the death penalty, have been identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Ragesh. All of them are former Indian Navy personnel who were employed by Dahra Global.

In response to the court’s verdict on Thursday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has voiced its deep concern and underscored the utmost importance attached to this case. The ministry has affirmed its commitment to exploring all available legal options with the goal of securing the release of its citizens.

“We have received initial information that the Court of First Instance in Qatar has issued a judgment in the case involving eight Indian employees of the Al Dahra company,” the ministry’s statement reads.

This development represents a distressing turn of events in an ongoing case. It is anticipated that the Indian government will intensify its diplomatic efforts to secure the release of its citizens, who now face the ominous prospect of the death penalty in Qatar.