Twelve Indian nationals were among 13 people killed in an explosion at a factory in Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City on Sunday night, the Indian Embassy in Doha confirmed. The blast, caused by a “technical malfunction” during operations according to Qatar’s Ministry of Interior, also injured 66 workers of different nationalities.  All injured are reported to be in stable condition.

The embassy said it is coordinating with Qatari authorities for early repatriation of the bodies and extending all possible assistance to the affected families. Authorities completed search operations at the site and said no gas leak or environmental hazard was detected.  Ras Laffan, one of the world’s largest LNG and petrochemical hubs, is now under investigation to determine the exact cause. The incident is among the deadliest involving Indians in the Gulf in recent years.  

It was worth mentioning here that eight Indian Navy officers, who had been detained in Qatar on spying charges since 2022, remain a point of concern for New Delhi. The naval personnel were initially sentenced to death in October 2023, but the Court of Appeal later commuted their sentences to jail terms ranging from 3 to 25 years in December 2023.  The cases underscored the complexities of India-Qatar ties even as both nations cooperate closely on energy security and worker welfare in the Gulf.  

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)