Qatar Tuesday sought to expand its economic engagement with India by asking for increased Indian investment in healthcare, IT and education.

"Besides financial investment, we also plan to make strategic investment in healthcare, IT and education. There are huge opportunities for Indian business in Qatar," Hussain al-Abdulla, deputy general secretary of the Supreme Council for Economic and Investment Affairs, told business leaders here Tuesday.

He presented a vibrant picture of Qatar's economy, which is growing at the rate of 20 percent per year over the last decade. "We plan to invest $90 billion in developing infrastructure related to oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and petroleum products. Our economy is growing rapidly and there are big opportunities everywhere."

The interactive meeting with the Qatari delegation, comprising senior officials, was organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Suresh C. Mathur, managing director of Petronet LNG, predicted a further expansion of robust economic ties between India and Qatar.

"Besides hydrocarbons, we can create linkages in IT. Medical tourism, infrastructure development, specially in view of the Asian Games to be held in Doha in 2006, education and technical training are other emerging areas of collaboration between the two countries," Mathur said.

Petronet LNG, a company promoted by the state-owned GAIL, Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), Indian Oil and Bharat Petroleum, has contracted 7.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG from Rasgas of Qatar. It is presently importing five million tonnes at the Dahej terminal in Gujarat and is negotiating supply schedule of the remaining 2.5 million tonnes.

India Monday asked Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Mahmoud, who arrived here Sunday on a three-day visit, for one million tonnes per annum of LNG to fire the 740 MW phase-I and the nearly complete 1,444 MW phase-II of the Dabhol project in Maharashtra.

Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar will visit Qatar Nov 19-21 to finalise the LNG deals. He discussed with al-Mahmoud investment in Petronet's upcoming terminal at Kochi in Kerala and possible investment by Indian firms in petrochemicals, power and fertiliser sector in Qatar.

Al-Mahmoud is leading a high-profile delegation comprising representatives from various ministries, including trade and IT. This visit takes place nearly two months after the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani came to India, seeking more Indian investment for his country.
He also met Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath Monday.

India is Qatar's largest customer for LNG. Besides, it is the eighth largest destination of Qatar's exports and tenth largest in terms of value of Qatar's imports. Bilateral trade has been increasing over the years. During 2004-05, non-oil trade volume stood at $776.11 million as against $315.44 million during 2003-04.