February 11, 2018
The trip came as part of PM Modi’s visit to three Arab nations, Palestine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, over February 9-12th
India signed eight distinct agreements with Oman on the occasion, covering cooperation in defence and outer space to health and tourism
The visit was Prime Minister’s fifth to the Gulf and West Asia region since 2015 - a geography of key priority for India’s external engagements
More than 9 million Indians currently live and work in the Gulf region, and in Oman they constitute the largest expatriate community
India entered into a series of bilateral agreements with Oman during Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s trip to the West Asian nation. The trip came as part of PM Modi’s visit to three Arab nations, Palestine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, over February 9-12th. India signed eight distinct agreements with Oman on the occasion that also saw PM Modi meeting the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said al Said and other leading figures from the administrative and business sectors. The Prime Minister’s fifth visit to the Gulf and West Asia region since 2015 – a geography of key priority for India’s external engagements – has led to India establishing stronger ground for economic and business links.
The deals signed during PM Modi’s Oman trip include – (I) Agreement on civil and commercial legal and judicial cooperation; (II) Agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, service and official passport; (III) MoU on health cooperation; (IV) MoU on outer space cooperation; (V) MoU on cooperation between Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Oman Diplomatic Institute; (VI) MoU on cooperation in academic and scholarly sectors between the National Defence College Sultanate of Oman and the Institute for Defence Studies and the Analyses; (VII) MoU in the field of cooperation to strengthen tourism between India and Oman; (VIII) Annexure to the MoU on military cooperation.
India and Oman have been maritime neighbours, linked by over 5000 years of history. During PM Modi’s visit over February 11-12th, Indian Navy was granted access to the Duqm sea port in Oman – a key win that will help strengthen India’s presence in its expanded neighbourhood. More than 9 million Indians live in the Gulf region, and in Oman they constitute the largest expatriate community. In his address to the Indian community in Oman, PM discussed the major policy measures taken up by the Government to boost the economy. Indians have played a major role in the economic prosperity of the West Asia region and with India’s proactive steps, bilateral and multilateral relations in the region are set to improve.