Dubai: Indian investors are willing to take up minor stakes in gas projects in Qatar, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora has said.

The minister, who is on a visit here, said yesterday that Indian companies were interested in participation, including equity stake in the various opportunities and projects in the hydrocarbon sector in Qatar, according to a report in The Peninsula newspaper.

Deora, who was taking part in the 6th Doha Conference on Natural Gas which opened in Doha on October 29, said Indian investors are also keen to set up steel and cement industries in Qatar.

He said Indian steel manufacturing giants like Mittal and Essar have shown interest in setting up steel plants in Qatar.

Earlier, in his address to the opening session of the gas conference, Deora said in addition to import of liquefied natural gas (LNG), India was keen to attract investment in developing LNG and gas sector in Qatar.

The relations between the two countries would further expand through mutual investments in the energy sector, he said.

The Indian gas market is emerging as a mature market. In recent years, the Indian gas sector has received progressively greater attention from global companies and has made rapid strides on the upstream front.

More than 160 blocks have so far been awarded through six bidding rounds under our New Exploration and Licensing Policy (NELP).

Source : PTI