New Delhi, Feb 18: President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Qatar's Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday, hosting a banquet in his honor.

During his second State Visit to India, the President highlighted the historic and deep-rooted relationship between India and Qatar, which has spanned centuries. She emphasized that Qatar has played an integral role in West Asia’s commercial and cultural ties with India.

The President noted the robust multi-dimensional cooperation between the two nations, characterized by mutual trust and longstanding goodwill. India and Qatar are dependable partners in various sectors, including trade, investment, food security, healthcare, culture, and energy.

"We should leverage the strengths of both countries to expand collaboration in innovation, technology, and start-ups," she said, underscoring the potential for further bilateral growth.

"Both nations must work together to promote peace, progress, and prosperity not only for our peoples but for the global community," she added.

The two leaders agreed that elevating the India-Qatar relationship to a "strategic partnership" would pave the way for even stronger ties.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amir Al Thani signed an agreement to upgrade the India-Qatar relationship to a Strategic Partnership, focusing on trade, energy, investment, innovation, technology, food security, culture, and people-to-people connections.

The leaders also held extensive talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, discussing regional and global issues of mutual interest.

In addition to formalizing the strategic partnership, both leaders witnessed the signing of an agreement on the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion related to income taxes.

As a special gesture, Prime Minister Modi personally traveled to the Air Force Station in Palam on Monday evening to greet the Amir upon his arrival—his second visit to India since March 2015.

"Went to the airport to welcome my brother, Amir of Qatar H.H. Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Wishing him a fruitful stay in India and looking forward to our meeting tomorrow," the PM shared on X after receiving the Amir.

The Amir expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Modi, the Government of India, and the Indian people for their warm hospitality, recognizing the strong historical ties between the two countries and emphasizing that India is one of Qatar’s key economic partners.