How Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani made Qatar one of India's closest strategic partners
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar's Father Amir, died on July 12, 2026, at age 74.
Under his rule, Qatar became India's largest LNG supplier and signed the 2008 Defence Cooperation Agreement.
The Indian diaspora in Qatar expanded to over 830,000 during his tenure.
He laid the groundwork for a Strategic Partnership targeting $30 billion in bilateral trade with India by 2030.
Sheikh Hamad transformed Qatar from a modest state into a leading LNG exporter and influential diplomatic actor.
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