New Delhi, Apr 28 (IANS): Eight Indian Navy officers, who have been in the custody in Qatar since the past eight months on espionage charges, are learnt to be facing a potential death sentence, according to a Pakistan media report.

The Express Tribune report claims that the officers are accused of spying for Israel.

The accused have been identified as working for the India's intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and were reportedly caught carrying out espionage activities in Qatar, the report further claimed.

The arrested officials reportedly provided Israel details of Qatar's secret programme to buy advanced submarines from Italy, says The Express Tribune.

The CEO of a private defence company and the head of international military operations of Qatar have also been arrested in the same case, according to the report.

All eight officers of the Indian Navy were also employed in the same company, it added.

The newspaper further claimed that the accused are set to face serious charges, including the possibility of death penalty, at their upcoming court hearing on May 3.

Qatari authorities said that they have technical evidence supporting the allegations, it added.