Why in News?
A day after the US struck Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, Iran retaliated by launching missile attacks on the Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which serves as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command.
What’s in Today’s Article?
- Global US Military Footprint
- About Al Udeid
- India Monitors Tensions After Iranian Strike in Qatar
Global US Military Footprint
- According to a July 2024 Congressional Research Service report, the US operates at least 128 overseas military bases across 51 countries.
- In the Middle East, under CENTCOM, the US maintains key bases in Qatar (Al Udeid), Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia, with additional deployments in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Yemen.
- These bases support surveillance, combat, airlift, missile defence, and counterterrorism operations, with major installations like Al Udeid and Bahrain’s Fifth Fleet serving as strategic regional hubs.
About Al Udeid
- Al Udeid Air Base is located in the desert near Doha, Qatar, about 190 km south of Iran. It is the largest US military base in the Middle East.
- Strategic Role
- Established in 1996, Al Udeid serves as the forward headquarters of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), overseeing operations from Egypt to Kazakhstan.
- Al Udeid is CENTCOM’s forward headquarters. The main CENTCOM headquarters is in Florida.
- Al Udeid is also linked to other US activities in Qatar. A nearby former army base, Camp As Sayliyah, has been used to process Afghans seeking resettlement since 2022.
- Multinational Presence
- The base hosts around 10,000 troops and accommodates forces from the US Air Force, Qatar Emiri Air Force, the UK’s Royal Air Force, and other allied nations.
- Infrastructure and Capabilities
- Al Udeid’s long runways support rapid deployment, making it key for US force projection.
- It has been critical in operations across Iraq, Afghanistan, and humanitarian efforts like the Kabul evacuation in 2021.
- Qatari Investment
- Qatar has invested over $8 billion in upgrading Al Udeid’s infrastructure, keeping it modern and reducing the financial burden on US taxpayers.
India Monitors Tensions After Iranian Strike in Qatar
- Delhi is closely watching the situation in Qatar after Iran launched a military attack on the US-operated Al Udeid Air Base.
- The Indian embassy issued an alert advising the over 8.3 lakh Indians in Qatar to remain calm, follow local news and Qatari authority instructions, and stay updated via the embassy’s social media channels.
- India-Qatar: A Strong Bilateral Relationship
- India shares deep political and economic ties with Qatar:
- PM Narendra Modi visited Doha twice—June 2016 and February 2024.
- India maintains high-level contacts with Qatar's leadership.
- In February 2025, during the visit of Amir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, both the countries announced the elevation of India-Qatar ties to a Strategic Partnership.
- Indian Diaspora in Qatar
- There are over 835,000 Indian nationals residing in Qatar as on December 2023.
- Indian community comprises around 27% of total population of Qatar.
- Indians form the largest expatriate community in Qatar, engaged in diverse sectors such as healthcare, education, construction, IT, media, and finance.
- Over 60,000 Indian students attend 19 Indian schools, with approx. 4,500 Indian teachers and staff.
- Indian Business Presence
- Over 20,000 Indian companies operate in Qatar across sectors like infrastructure, energy, IT, and communications.
- Notable companies include L&T, Shapoorji Pallonji, Wipro, TCS, Tech Mahindra, Lulu Group, Malabar, and Tanishq.
- Indian investment in Qatar exceeded $350 million between 2017 and 2025, per Invest Qatar.
- Energy Cooperation between India and Qatar
- Qatar is the largest supplier of LNG to India (10.74 MMT for US$ 8.32 billion in FY 2022-23), accounting for over 48% of India's global LNG imports.
- Qatar is also India’s largest supplier of LPG (5.33 MMT for US$ 4.04 billion in FY 2022-23) accounting for 29% of India’s total LPG imports.
