India declares a day of mourning for Father Amir of Qatar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Sheikh Hamad and described him as a true friend of India and a visionary leader who led the development of Qatar

The Indian government on Sunday declared one day of national mourning on July 13 as a mark of respect for Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Father Amir of Qatar, who died at the age of 74.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast on Monday throughout India and there will be no official entertainment on the day, the external affairs ministry said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of Sheikh Hamad and described him as a true friend of India and a visionary leader who led the development of Qatar.

“A visionary leader who led Qatar to great levels of development and prosperity, we remember him also as a true friend whom I had the honour of meeting during my last visit to Qatar in February 2024,” Modi said on social media.

Modi conveyed his condolences to the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the royal family and people of Qatar.

Minister of parliamentary affairs and minority affairs Kiren Rijiju is expected to visit Qatar shortly to convey condolences on behalf of the Indian government, the statement said.

Sheikh Hamad ruled Qatar from 1995 to 2013 and played a key role in the energy-rich country’s development. During his reign, Qatar witnessed economic, social and cultural development that bolstered its standing on the global stage.

He oversaw economic investments and developed international partnerships as Qatar became the world’s largest exporter of LNG. Qatar has announced a four-day period of public mourning beginning on Sunday.

During Sheikh Hamad’s reign, the number of Indians in Qatar grew substantially, and he made official visits to India in 1999, 2005 and 2012.

Rezaul H Laskar is the Foreign Affairs Editor at Hindustan Times. His interests include movies and music.