Doha has not yet approved a bilateral agreement with Qatar for the transfer of condemned individuals, which would have permitted the Indian government to repatriate the eight Indian Navy veterans who are currently in prison. The pact, however, was ratified by India during the visit of Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to India in 2015.
Following the commutation of the death sentence awarded to the former Indian Navy personnel to imprisonment, the government reiterated that it’s discussing the next course of action with the legal team and family members.
Regarding the former Indian Navy soldiers, a family who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that while one of them faced 25 years in prison, others had their death sentences commuted to jail terms between 3 and 15 years. Neither India nor Qatar have acknowledged the details of the jail term awarded to the former Indian Navy members. Additionally, the government has once more requested access to the men's consulates, who were found guilty of allegedly spying for Israel.
The fact that Doha has not yet approved the treaty transferring inmates is a setback for India because the deal may have made it easier for the accused to be repatriated to India and complete their prison sentence here if they were found not guilty or pardoned. Under this agreement, condemned individuals can serve out the balance of their sentences in their native countries, stay close to their family, and receive assistance with their "social rehabilitation."