Deepak Mittal, a highly trusted diplomat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is leading India’s efforts to support eight former Indian Navy personnel who have been sentenced to death by a Qatari court. Mittal, a seasoned officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) from the 1998 batch, has been at the forefront of this mission. He previously served as India’s ambassador in Qatar for two years and was in Doha when the Qatari intelligence agency detained the eight Indian nationals in August the previous year. Following the arrests, he left Qatar and is currently serving as an Officer on Special Duty in the Prime Minister’s Office. Mittal is known for his adept handling of sensitive assignments and has previously led diplomatic engagements with the Taliban regime and participated in the defense of Kulbhushan Jadhav at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Deepak Mittal is working closely on the Qatar issue with guidance from India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The charges against the eight Indians arrested in Qatar have not been officially disclosed by either Qatari or Indian authorities, but media reports suggest they are accused of spying for Israel and sharing sensitive information about Qatar’s classified defense projects. Mittal’s strategy involves two key aspects: providing legal assistance for an appeal in a higher court and seeking a pardon from Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. The Emir holds the authority to pardon or reduce sentences and typically exercises this power to release prisoners annually on Qatar’s National Day, celebrated on December 18. Given the close economic ties between India and Qatar, with India importing a significant portion of its liquefied natural gas from Qatar, South Block anticipates that the Emir may show leniency in this case.
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