New Delhi, Dec. 7: Days after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit, the Ministry of External Affairs said that India was allowed consular access to the eight former Navy personnel who have been sentenced to death in Qatar on espionage charges, according to media reports.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that the Indian Ambassador got consular access to meet them in prison on December 3 (Sunday). He was answering a question on the issue at a press conference in New Delhi.

“You would have seen Prime Minister Modi meet Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Amir of Qatar in Dubai on the sidelines of COP28. They’ve had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship as well as in the well-being of the Indian community…,” he said.

According to the Indian Media, On India's appeal against the death sentence, Bagchi said, "There have been two hearings so far (these were held on November 23 and November 30). We are closely following the matter and extending all legal and consular assistance. This is a sensitive issue, but we will do whatever we can."

“Meanwhile, our ambassador got consular access to meet all eight of them in prison on third of December. This is a sensitive issue, but we will continue to follow and whatever we can share, we will do so,” Bagchi said.

On November 24 a Qatari court had accepted India's formal appeal against the death sentence, which the government said had left it "deeply shocked".

The arrested naval personnel are Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht and Sailor Ragesh Gopakumar.

The eight ex-Navy officers include decorated individuals who once commanded major Indian warships, and were working for a private firm providing training and related services to Qatar's armed forces.

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had earlier met with the families of the prisoners and assured them that the government attached “the highest importance” to the case. On their part, the families have submitted a mercy plea to the Emir of Qatar.