Briefly: Eight veterans of the Indian Navy are due to stand trial in Qatar on charges they spied for Israel. The men were arrested last year and could face the death penalty if convicted.
The accused were employed by an Indian technology and consulting firm helping Doha develop submarines designed to evade radar detection. Both Israel and India would theoretically have an interest in hampering Qatar’s navy:
- 🇮🇱 Israel wants to retain its US-backed military edge in the region (especially since Qatar is aligned with Iran, its top adversary), and
- 🇮🇳 India is wary of Qatar’s military partnership with Pakistan (India’s own top adversary).
Intrigue’s take: Submarines, so hot right now. Their stealth, mobility, and element of surprise render them a hot item for militaries everywhere. So it’s no shock that counter-intelligence operatives everywhere are on high alert, too.
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Also worth noting:
- Last year, a US court sentenced a US naval engineer and his wife to prison for attempting to sell submarine secrets to Brazil.
- India says Qatar hasn’t yet revealed the charges against its nationals. India’s opposition has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to lobby for their release.
