India has said it is exploring all legal options after a court in Qatar sentenced eight former Indian naval officers to death on unspecified charges.
Reports say the men, who worked with a private company in Qatar, were arrested last year on suspicion of spying.
Neither Qatar nor India have revealed the specific charges against them.
On Thursday, the Indian government said it was “deeply shocked” and would take up the verdict with Qatari authorities.
India’s foreign ministry said in a statement that it was awaiting the detailed judgment and attached “high importance to this case”.
“We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” the ministry said, adding that it would not make further comment right now because of the “confidential nature of proceedings of this case”.
The statement describes the men as employees of a private company called Al Dahra, but they have been widely reported to be former personnel of the Indian Navy. Last year, in parliament, foreign minister S Jaishankar described them as “ex-servicemen” of the country. The families of some of the men have also confirmed their identities and background in the Navy to local media.
Their arrest in August last year had made front-page headlines in India, but there has been little confirmed information about the charges against them.
According to The Hindu newspaper, the men were allegedly accused of “breaching sensitive secrets” but neither of the governments have confirmed this. The BBC could not independently verify the allegations but has reached out to the Qatar embassy with questions.
Experts say the recent diplomatic tensions could impact relations between the two countries. “There are over 700,000 Indians in Qatar and we have close economic ties. The Indian government has been following the case closely without doubt, but would need to take it up at the highest level to ensure their lives are saved,” Former Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepa Gopalan, told The Hindu.
In December, Mr Jaishankar told parliament that the government was in constant touch with Qatar over the “very sensitive case”.
“Their interests are foremost in our minds. Ambassadors and senior officials are in constant touch with Qatar’s govt. We assure, they’re our priority,” he said.
Millions of Indians live in the Gulf, with tens of thousands of them working in semi-skilled and unskilled low-income jobs.
These migrant workers have played a key role in building the economies of Gulf Arab states and also form an important source of remittances for India.
Source : BBC
