New Indian Ambassador to Qatar Focuses on Community Welfare and Consular Services
On September 15, 2026, in Doha, the newly appointed Indian Ambassador to Qatar, Dr. K. Srikar Reddy, announced a new push to prioritize consular services and community welfare for the approximately 830,000 Indians residing in the country.
- Dr. Reddy presented his credentials to Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, on September 10, 2026.
- Key goals include assisting vulnerable individuals, improving access to embassy services, and strengthening coordination with community organizations.
- Steps have been initiated to increase daily appointment capacity at the Indian Cultural Centre and the Indian Community Benevolent Forum.
Consular Services and Timings
To address the high demand for passport renewals, document submissions, and other consular tasks, the embassy has initiated steps to increase the daily appointment capacity at the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) and the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF). Currently, the ICBF, located in the Integrated Indian Community Center in the Nuaija/Al Thumama area, processes consular document submissions from Saturday to Thursday, 12:00 PM to 7:30 PM, with Friday as a holiday. The ICC, meanwhile, accepts documents from Sunday to Thursday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM, with limited hours on Fridays and Saturdays off. While both organizations offer walk-in facilities, tokens are subject to daily limits, making it advisable to check the latest timing and status before visiting.
Community Welfare and Strategic Partnership
Ambassador Reddy highlighted the importance of the Indian community as a living bridge between India and Qatar, contributing across sectors including healthcare, education, engineering, technology, and construction. A significant focus will be placed on welfare support for low-income and domestic workers, particularly regarding issues like wage disputes, passport retention, and medical emergencies. The ICBF continues to offer support through its helpdesk at 77867794, and the embassy has urged citizens to avoid unofficial middlemen for legal or consular matters. Beyond welfare, Dr. Reddy aims to advance the India-Qatar strategic partnership in emerging sectors such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, digital public infrastructure, artificial intelligence, fintech, and space. The embassy advises all applicants to ensure their original passports, Qatar IDs, and supporting documents are prepared to avoid delays during service processing.