Modi meets Qatar PM on 1st day of visit

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight held a meeting with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani, who also hosted a banquet in his honour.

The meeting with the Qatari Premier was the last of Modi's the engagements on the first day of his two-day visit here.

"Ist day in Doha ends with a meeting with PM Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani who also holds banquet in PM's honour," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.

Earlier, Modi, who arrived here this evening, was received warmly by the Prime Minister of Qatar at the Hamad International Airport.

Modi's visit here is focused on giving a new push to the economic ties, particularly in the hydrocarbon sector, between India and the energy-rich Qatar.

He will hold detailed talks tomorrow with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and address the business community of Qatar, a country which is India's largest supplier of LNG requirements, accounting for 65 per cent of the country's total imports last financial year.