PM MODI's OMAN VISIT IS MORE THAN A ROUTINE DIPLOMATIC TRIP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Muscat on 17 December, 2025 evening on a two-day visit to Oman in the last leg of his three-nation tour. He reached Oman after completing his successful visits to Jordan and Ethiopia. At the Muscat airport, Mr Modi was received by Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik Al Said. This will be his second visit to Oman. This year, India and Oman are completing 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

After reaching the hotel in Muscat, the Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome by the members of India diaspora, including children who presented various dances, like Omani Traditional Dance, Blend of Indian classical – Kuchipudi and Kathak, Rajasthan’s Ghoomer, Karnataka’s Folk Dance – Yakshana and others. The members of the Indian community, both young and old, cheered Prime Minister Modi with ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai and ‘Vande Mataram’.

In a social media post, Mr. Modi said, Oman is a land of enduring friendship and deep historical connections with India. He said this visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration and add fresh momentum to the partnership between the two countries.

INDIA AND OMAN SIGNED A COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (CEPA)

In Muscat, the Prime Minister held discussions with the Sultan of Oman on strengthening the Strategic Partnership as well as a strong commercial and economic relationship.  India and Oman signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a Free Trade Agreement, aiming to significantly deepen economic ties and open a new chapter in bilateral trade. The agreement is expected to boost trade and investment diversification, building on existing hydrocarbon cooperation and exploring new avenues in green energy. Formal negotiations for the CEPA began in November 2023 and concluded earlier this year.

Oman is the third-largest export destination for India among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. India already has a similar agreement with another GCC member, the UAE, which came into effect in May 2022. The other GCC members are Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

In addition to the CEPA, India and Oman have committed to a Joint Vision Document and signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) that cover fields such as maritime heritage, scientific research, and skills development. A recent business dialogue highlighted investment opportunities aligned with Oman Vision 2040, aimed at diversifying the economy.

PM MODI ADDRESSED THE INDIA-OMAN BUSINESS FORUM

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today addressed the India–Oman Business Forum in Muscat. The Forum saw participation by leading business representatives from both countries in the fields of energy, agriculture, logistics, infrastructure, manufacturing, health, financial services, green development, education, and connectivity.

 

Highlighting India’s economic success in the last 11 years, Prime Minister stated that the country was well on its way to become the 3rd largest economy in the world on the back of next generation reforms, policy predictability, good governance and high investor confidence. 

PM MODI ADDRESSED A GATHERING OF THE INDIAN DIASPORA IN OMAN

Prime Minister today addressed a large gathering of Indian community members in Muscat. The audience included more than 700 students from various Indian schools. This year holds special significance for Indian schools in Oman, as they celebrate 50 years of their establishment in the country. He stated that he was delighted to meet people from various parts of India settled in Oman, and noted that diversity is the foundation of Indian culture - a value which helps them assimilate in any society they form a part of. 

Prime Minister spoke about India’s transformational growth and development, of its speed and scale of change, and the strength of its economy as reflected by the more than 8 percent growth in the last quarter. Prime Minister conveyed India’s deep commitment for welfare of the diaspora, highlighting that whenever and wherever our people are in need of help, the Government is there to hold their hand. Prime Minister affirmed that India-Oman partnership was making itself future-ready through AI collaboration, digital learning, innovation partnership, and entrepreneurship exchange. 

AWARDING OF THE ORDER OF OMAN

The Order of Oman was conferred upon PM Modi by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in recognition of his efforts to bolster India-Oman relations. This accolade adds to PM Modi’s extensive list of international awards, which now includes over 29 civilian honours from foreign governments, emphasizing his global diplomatic engagement.

KEY SECTORS THAT STAND TO GAIN

India-Oman bilateral trade stood at about USD 10.5billion in 2024-25, with exports worth USD 4 billion and imports at USD 6.54 billion.

India’s key imports from Oman include petroleum products and urea, which together account for over 70% of inbound shipments. Other imports include propylene and ethylene polymers, pet coke, gypsum, chemicals, iron and steel, and unwrought aluminum.

India’s exports to Oman include mineral fuels, chemicals, precious metals, iron and steel, cereals, ships and boats, electrical machinery, boilers, tea, coffee, spices, apparel and food items.

Oman is an old and favoured maritime partner and port of Indian traders from ancient times and was connected to the commencement of the Silk Route, or the Gold Road as referred to by William Dalrymple. Although currently over 700,000 Indian workers and entrepreneurs are contributing to the growth and development of the Sultanate, many of them have been here for centuries and have even been naturalised. They have become a strong bridge between the two peoples and countries.