Piyush Goyal co-chairs first India–Qatar Joint Commission in Doha; goal to double trade by 2030, UPI launched in Qatar
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal co-chaired the first meeting of the upgraded India–Qatar Joint Commission on Economic and Commercial Cooperation in Doha, where the two sides set a goal of doubling trade by 2030 and he launched UPI services in Qatar (PIB, 8 October 2025).
Summary
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal paid an official visit to Doha, Qatar to co-chair the India–Qatar Joint Commission on Economic and Commercial Cooperation with Qatar's Minister of Commerce and Industry Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani (PIB, 8 October 2025). It was the first meeting of the upgraded Joint Commission, which replaced the earlier Joint Working Group on Trade and Commerce following the Amir of Qatar's visit to India in February 2025. The sides reviewed trade worth over USD 14 billion in 2024–25, set a goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030, agreed to expedite the Terms of Reference for negotiations on an India–Qatar Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), and acknowledged Qatar's announced USD 10 billion investment in India. Goyal also addressed the first India–Qatar Joint Business Council and launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services in Qatar.
Key facts
- Forum
- 1st meeting of upgraded India–Qatar Joint Commission, Doha
- Co-chairs
- Piyush Goyal; Sheikh Faisal bin Thani bin Faisal Al Thani
- Trade
- Over USD 14 bn (2024–25); target — double by 2030
- CEPA
- Expedite ToR for formal negotiations
- Investment
- Qatar's USD 10 bn announcement (Feb 2025 Amir visit)
- Digital
- UPI services launched in Qatar
Practice MCQs 2 questions
At the first meeting of the upgraded India–Qatar Joint Commission (October 2025), the two sides set a goal of doubling bilateral trade by:
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 2030
PIB: the sides set a shared goal of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
Consider the following statements about Piyush Goyal's October 2025 visit to Qatar: 1. The upgraded Joint Commission replaced the earlier Joint Working Group on Trade and Commerce. 2. India–Qatar bilateral trade in 2024–25 was over USD 24 billion. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. PIB: it was the first meeting of the upgraded Joint Commission, elevated from the earlier Joint Working Group on Trade and Commerce; trade was valued at over USD 14 billion in 2024–25.