Outsourcing web development to India from Qatar

IST is 2h30m ahead of Qatar. Qatar’s working week is Sunday–Thursday, with Friday–Saturday as the weekend. Check the Indian team’s availability and agree on call times that suit both sides.

Qatar’s general personal data law is Law No. 13 of 2016 Concerning Personal Data Protection. It is overseen by the National Cyber Governance and Assurance Affairs of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA).

Under the law, data controllers should not take measures that curb trans-border data flow unless the processing violates the law or will cause gross damage to the data subject. Qatar’s data privacy impact assessment guidelines identify transfers outside Qatar as processing that may cause serious damage, for which a DPIA is particularly important.

From 13 May 2027, India’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 will include provisions for a person in India processing personal data of individuals outside India under a contract with a person outside India. Most Data Fiduciary obligations, Chapter III data principal rights and the section 16 transfer rule will not apply to that processing, but sections 8(1) and 8(5), covering responsibility for compliance and reasonable security safeguards, will still apply.

Qatar’s unified 5% withholding tax applies to services used, utilised or benefited in Qatar, even when carried out wholly or partly outside Qatar, where payment goes to a non-resident for activities not connected to a permanent establishment in Qatar.

Council of Ministers' Decision No. 4 of 2026 introduced a Trusted Entity Service. Approved Qatar taxpayers can use it to apply double tax treaty withholding tax benefits directly at source, reducing or eliminating the 5% rate where the conditions are met.

In India, an export of services is a zero-rated supply under section 16(1) of the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) Act, 2017. A service qualifies as an export only if it meets the conditions in section 2(6), including the supplier and recipient locations, place of supply, permitted payment and the relationship between the parties.

Ask your supplier to check its export invoice. Under rule 46 of the CGST Rules, 2017, it must carry the applicable export endorsement and give the recipient’s name and address, the address of delivery and the country of destination.

Agree the payment currency and timing with your supplier. Under India’s Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, an exporter must realise and repatriate the full value of exported services within nine months from the invoice date, or twelve months if the export is invoiced or settled in Indian rupees; its Authorised Dealer bank may allow more time on request.

Qatar’s National Cyber Governance and Assurance Affairs guidelines say a controller’s contract with a processor must state that the processor may process personal data only on the controller’s written instructions, including instructions on transfers outside Qatar.

For disputes, check the arbitration terms before signing. India applies the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards only to awards made in another contracting State and to differences considered commercial under its national law.

English is commonly used in Qatar as a second language, especially in commerce. Use this checklist to prepare your discussions with a supplier.

• Agree on call times and check the supplier’s availability.
• Identify any personal data the team will need to access.
• Consider a DPIA for transfers of personal data outside Qatar.
• Put processing and transfer instructions in the contract.
• Check whether Qatar withholding tax applies to the payment.
• Ask the supplier to check the export invoice details.
• Agree on payment currency and timing.
• Review the contract’s arbitration terms.