India, Oman sign 8 agreements during PM Modi visit

The Dollar Business Bureau

India and Oman signed eight agreements, including MoUs on cooperation in the areas of defence, tourism, outer space and health, during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Arab nation.

Prime Minister Modi, who reached Muscat from Dubai on his last leg of three-nation tour, also held wide-ranging discussions with the Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said al Said.

The pacts signed between the two sided are: Agreement on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Civil and Commercial matter; Agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, Special, service and official passports; MoU on Cooperation in the field of health; MoU on Cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space; MoU on Cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and Oman Diplomatic Institute; MoU on Academic and Scholarly cooperation sectors between National Defence College, Sultanate of Oman and the Institute for Defence Studies and the Analyses (IDSA); MoU in the field of Tourism cooperation between India and Oman; and, MoU on Military Cooperation.

Modi led delegation-level talks with Sultan of Oman and had discussions to take steps to strengthen cooperation in energy, trade and investment, security, defence, food security and regional matters.

“Charting out new frontiers in our bilateral relationship, PM @narendramodi led delegation-level talks with Sultan Qaboos of Oman. The two strategic partners discussed to strengthen cooperation in trade & investment, energy, defence & security, food security and regional issues,” tweeted Raveesh Kumar, Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs.

Sultan Qaboos appreciated the Indian nationals’ contribution in the development of Oman.

Modi, during his two-day visit to the Arab nation, also met Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs Sayyid Asa'ad bin Tariq Al Said and Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said.

Earlier in the day, Modi addressed the Indian diaspora at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Muscat and said, “Indian diaspora has played an essential role in strengthening Indo-Oman ties.”

India and Oman ties have always remained strong in spite of the ups and downs in the political scenario in both the nations, Modi said.

“As a nation, we believe in change. Every Indian is trying to make 'New India vision' a reality,” he said.

“Next generation infrastructure is being developed in country keeping in mind the needs of 21st century,” Modi said.

About nine million Indian nationals are working and living in the Gulf region. Indians constitute the biggest expatriate community in Oman.

On his three-nation trip, before arriving in Oman, Modi travelled to Palestine, becoming the first Prime Minister of India to officially visit the Middle East state and after there, he visited the UAE.