MAINS Current Affairs includes India Qatar Reviews Bilateral Ties & Preventive Detention and Right to Protest

International

1. India Qatar Reviews Bilateral Ties

Context: India and Qatar reviewed their bilateral relations during the 6th round of Foreign Office Consultations.

Brief on India-Qatar Relations

• Establishment of Relations: India’s diplomatic relations with Qatar were established in 1973. The year 2023 marked the 50th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations.
• Strategic Partnership: In 2025, India and Qatar have signed an agreement to elevate their ties to the level of a strategic partnership.
  • India currently has strategic partnerships with four other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council – the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait.
• Economic and Trade Relations: In FY 2025-26, India’s bilateral trade with Qatar stood at USD 13.91 billion. India’s export to Qatar during the period was USD 1.62 billion and India’s imports from Qatar were USD 12.29 billion.
  • Two sides also signed a double taxation avoidance treaty and also planned on doubling their trade by 2030.
• Energy: Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India (10.86 MMT for US$ 5.61 billion in FY 2025-26), it is also the largest supplier of LPG to India (4.58 MMT for US$ 2.67 billion in Financial Year 2025-26).
  • In FY 2025-26, the total bilateral hydrocarbon trade between the countries amounted to US$ 10.81 billion, accounting for 71% of overall bilateral trade. 
  • In 2024, QatarEnergy and Petronet LNG signed a 20-year agreement for the supply of 7.5 million tonnes of LNG annually, beginning in 2028.
• Defence: The India-Qatar Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed in 2008 and extended for five years in 2018, it is managed through the Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC).
  • India participates in the biennial Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX).
  • Exercise Zair-Al-Bahr is a joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Qatar Emiri Naval Force (QENF).
• Labor and Diaspora: Around 830,000 Indians in Qatar is testament to the close people-to-people ties that continue to nurture the cultural bonds.
  • The Indian diaspora in Qatar plays a crucial role in the country’s development, particularly in construction and other sectors.
• Regional Cooperation: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six Middle Eastern countries—Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. It was established in
  • India engages regularly with GCC and aims to deepen its relationship with the GCC.

Gulf Region

• The Gulf Region typically refers to the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf in the Middle East. 
• It includes nations like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
• This region is known for its vast oil reserves, which have significantly influenced global economics and politics.

Significance of Qatar for India

• Energy Security: Qatar is a major supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India. These imports support India’s electricity generation, fertiliser production and industrial requirements.
• Indian Diaspora: A large Indian community lives and works in Qatar, contributing to its economy and sending remittances to India. Their safety, welfare and labour rights are important bilateral concerns.
• Maritime Security: Qatar’s location near the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies, makes regional stability important for India’s energy imports and commercial shipping.
• Regional Diplomacy: Qatar maintains diplomatic channels with various regional and international actors. Its engagement can support dialogue on conflicts, de-escalation and the protection of Indian interests in West Asia.

Challenges/Concerns

• The Hamas–Israel war and shipping attacks in the Red Sea affect India’s energy security and economic growth.
  • India remains cautious in Middle Eastern politics, balancing relations with the Gulf, Iran, and Israel.
• Limited Trade Diversification: Bilateral trade remains significantly influenced by hydrocarbons, leaving scope to expand cooperation in manufacturing, technology, services and other non-energy sectors.
• Delay in Connectivity Projects: The conflict has delayed progress for the I2U2 group since 2023.
  • India urges economic initiatives like I2U2 and IMEC to progress despite the conflict.
• FTAs with GCC: Delays in finalizing the India–GCC Free Trade Agreement (FTA) due to changes in the GCC’s trade negotiator. Reaching an agreement that satisfies all GCC states remains a key challenge.

Way Forward  

• Qatar is a key partner in India’s pursuit of energy security, economic diversification and stronger engagement with West Asia.
• Strengthening institutional frameworks, expanding economic complementarities, and ensuring the welfare of the Indian community will be key to future-proofing this vital West Asian partnership.

Polity and Governance

2. Preventive Detention and Right to Protest

Context: Amid large-scale detentions across the national capital, legal experts questioned the basis on which Delhi Police detained protesters beyond the New Delhi district.

About

• Delhi Police has maintained that detentions in the capital followed violations of prohibitory orders imposed under Section 163 of the BNSS, which bar unauthorized public assemblies, demonstrations and protests.
  • Section 163 of the BNSS empowers an executive magistrate to issue prohibitory orders where immediate prevention or speedy remedy is desirable.
• However, there was no clarity on the legal authority invoked to detain protesters from areas where such orders were not in force.

Right to Protest and Restrictions

• Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution protects the right to free speech and expression. Clause (b) guarantees the right to assemble peacefully and without arms.
  • These provisions protect a citizen’s ability to gather and express dissent. But neither right is absolute.
• Article 19(2) permits restrictions on speech on specific grounds, including public order, while 19(3) allows “reasonable restrictions” on peaceful assembly in the interest of public order.
• Police guidelines on protests: The Delhi Police guidelines set out a procedure for seeking permission to hold demonstrations at Jantar Mantar.
  • Applications must ordinarily be submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) at least 10 days before the proposed event.
    • The DCP has to consider whether the demonstration is likely to obstruct traffic, endanger human safety or public tranquillity.
    • The gathering cannot exceed 1,000 people at Jantar Mantar. Beyond this threshold, the venue of the protest can be at Ramlila Ground.
  • Denial of Permission: If an organiser believes that the refusal is arbitrary, they can approach the Delhi High Court under Article 226 of the Constitution.
    • If the protest continues despite denial or in violation of the prohibitory order, anyone violating it could be booked under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with knowingly disobeying a lawful order issued by a public servant.

What is Preventive Detention?

• Preventive detention means to detain a person so that to prevent that person from committing any possible crime.
• The grounds for Preventive detention are:
  • Security of state, maintenance of public order,
  • Maintenance of supplies and essential services and defense,
  • Foreign affairs or security of India.

Punitive Detention

• It is to punish a person for an offence committed by him/her after trial and conviction in a court.

Safeguards Provided By The Constitution

• Article 22 of the Indian Constitution provides certain safeguards regarding arrests and detentions.
  • Right to be Presented before Magistrate: An arrested person must be produced before the nearest magistrate within 24 hours of their arrest.
  • Right to Consult a Legal Practitioner: It grants the right to consult and be defended by a legal practitioner of their choice.
  • Communication of Grounds for Arrest: An arrested person must be informed of the grounds for their arrest and detention.
  • Time for Detention: A person can be taken to preventive custody only for 3 months at the first instance. If the period of detention is extended beyond 3 months, the case must be referred to an Advisory Board.

Arguments in Favour of Preventive Detention

• National Security: India faces various internal and external security threats, including terrorism, insurgency, and organized crime.
  • Preventive detention is a necessary tool to address these threats by allowing law enforcement agencies to detain individuals suspected of involvement in activities that pose a risk to national security.
• Maintaining Public Order: In situations of civil unrest, communal tensions, or public disturbances, preventive detention is used to prevent further escalation of violence and maintain public order.
• Deterrence: The existence of preventive detention laws and their occasional use serve as a deterrent to individuals or groups considering engaging in unlawful activities.
• Constitutional Recognition: Article 22(3)–(7) of the Constitution recognises preventive detention and lays down a framework for its regulation, reflecting the constitutional understanding that individual liberty may need to be balanced against security concerns.
• Safeguarding Collective Welfare: The State has a responsibility to protect the lives, safety and rights of the wider population. Preventive measures may be justified where credible threats pose serious risks to these interests.

Arguments Against Preventive Detention

• Colonial Law: Preventive detention was introduced to India during the colonial period and was largely used to target freedom fighters.
• Misuse of the Law: The state may refuse to divulge the grounds of detention if it is in the public interest to do so. This power conferred on the state leaves scope for arbitrary action on the part of the authorities.
• Detention on the Basis of Suspicion: The law authorizes the executive to arrest any person from whom reasonable suspicion arises that he can commit any cognizable offense and the police can arrest that person without warrant which is arbitrary in nature.
• Circumvention of Criminal Justice: Preventive detention may be used as an alternative to ordinary criminal proceedings, potentially bypassing established safeguards such as a fair trial, access to evidence and the opportunity to defend oneself.
• Chilling Effect on Fundamental Freedoms: The fear of detention may discourage people from exercising their rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly and association under Article 19, particularly when authorities interpret dissent as a threat to public order.

Supreme Court Take on Preventive Detention

• Rekha v. State of Tamil Nadu (2011): The Court stressed that preventive detention cannot be used as a substitute for ordinary criminal law when its requirements are not satisfied.
• The Court’s broader approach: Detention orders may be challenged where there is failure to follow mandatory safeguards, or other legally established defects.

Way Ahead

• Preventive detention creates a tension between collective security and individual liberty.
• While it may be necessary in exceptional circumstances, its use should remain strictly limited, proportionate and subject to rigorous judicial scrutiny.
• Strict compliance with Article 22 safeguards, effective access to remedies and preference for ordinary criminal law wherever adequate are essential to prevent arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

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