Jaishankar's severe test.

The death sentence awarded to eight former Indian Navy personnel detained in Qatar since last year has naturally shocked the entire country. The news of his arrest also shocked everyone, but the Government of India not only took notice but also initiated necessary action. After which these people were also made to talk to their family members on the phone and they were also given the help of a counselor. But the way a court there suddenly sentenced him to death makes it clear that the case is going to prove to be a major diplomatic challenge for the Indian government. This decision of the court of Qatar has come after a long inquiry of a year or so. The retired Indian Navy officers were arrested and charged with espionage last March before Qatar's Central Intelligence Agency began questioning them on suspicion.

The reason for the arrest of these eight Indians has not been disclosed yet. Reports circulating in the local media suggest that they were involved in an important Qatari submarine project and are suspected of leaking relevant information. This information is said to have been sent to Israel. Since neither charges have been officially framed nor any information has been received about the available evidence, questions are naturally being raised about the sentence in India. It is also to be noted that despite all these working in personal capacity, their record of service in the Navy is very good. However, it is also true that they have been sentenced by the court there and generally a country does not like to see outside reasons interfering with its judicial system.

But what makes this matter particularly sensitive is its timing. This decision of the Qatar court has come at a time when the entire Middle East is going through a very delicate phase. Qatar not only has American and Turkish military bases but also has close ties with Iran. It is also believed to house several leaders associated with Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Taliban. Al Jazeera News Channel, an effective platform for creating public referendums in the Muslim world, is also based in Doha. The reason behind Qatar's special influence is its booming economy due to gas. India is one of the largest importers of Qatar's gas and is home to around 8 lakh Indians. The relations between India and Qatar have been improving day by day in the last two decades.

The then BJP leader Nupoor Sharma's statement led to an unpopular controversy, but the matter was prevented from escalating further by suspending him from the party. However, in the current climate of Israel-Hamas war, it will not be easy for India to successfully resolve this matter with the Qatari government. The Government of India is shocked by this punishment and is considering taking all necessary steps. In such a scenario, questions are also being raised as to whether Qatar is retaliating in this way for supporting Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. These Navy officers were kept in custody for over a year. The speed with which the decision has been taken by Qatar in this matter is very surprising. India's Ministry of External Affairs has said that we are considering all legal options. What is the whole story and how did the ex-Navy officer reach Qatar?

All 8 former Indian Navy officers were working for a private firm in Qatar. Eight former Indian Navy officers have been lodged in a Qatar jail since August 2022. The names of these eight former marines are - Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashishth, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sanjeev Gupta and Mr Ragesh. All of them were earlier detained for questioning on espionage charges.