Ambassador extends congratulations on Indian’s 71st Independence day

4. India and Oman, maritime neighbours linked by geography, history and culture, enjoy close and friendly relations. Inspired by civilisational and historical links spanning over 5,000 years, India and Oman have expanded their bilateral cooperation and exchanges since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1955, forging a mutually beneficial Strategic Partnership. India-Oman bilateral relations are anchored in their shared interests, mutual understanding and respect for each other’s priorities, concerns and sensitivities. Regular high-level visits and exchanges have been a key feature of this relationship. The two countries have extensive defence cooperation, including exchange of defence delegations and joint exercises. The recent visits of Defence Minister of India to Oman in May 2016 and Minister of State for External Affairs of India in December 2016 as well as H E Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman’s Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs, to India in April 2017, have imparted a new momentum to bilateral cooperation and exchanges. India remains committed to nurture and expand its strategic partnership with Oman through enhancing the existing cooperation and identifying new areas for bilateral, regional and global collaboration, with a view to meet the development aspirations for our two countries.

5. The economic and commercial relations between India and Oman remain robust and buoyant. Bilateral trade, which saw a decline during 2014-15 and 2015-16, has resumed its upward trend. It rose 3.6 per cent from US$3.8bn in 2015-16 to US$4bn in 2016-17. Investment flows, both ways, have been robust, as reflected in numerous joint ventures, established both in India and Oman. Indian business entities have emerged as prime investors in Oman, particularly in Salalah and Sohar free zones. More than 2,900 Indo-Omani joint ventures have been established. Indian firms have gained reputation for excellence in sectors like construction and engineering, waste management, logistics, manufacturing, finance and capital, software solutions, communications, oil & gas etc. The India-Oman Joint Investment Fund has been operational and the initial corpus of US$100mn has been fully utilised. The next tranche with an increased corpus of US$220mn is ready for investment.

6. Maritime links between India and Oman, since the Indus Valley Civilisation, have been a defining feature of the historical ties between the two countries. It is, therefore, only natural that rich and diverse people-to-people contacts and exchanges have been a key feature of contemporary India-Oman relations. The ITEC Programme, which provides vocational training and skills upgradation, has gained popularity in Oman. India is ready to share its experience in skill development and development of medium and small enterprises, which have also been accorded a high priority by the Government of Oman.

7. A notable feature of the people-to-people contacts between India and Oman in recent times has been the increasing tourist flow to ‘Incredible India’ from Oman. India is dotted with rich cultural, natural and historical sites, including 36 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is endowed with exceptional natural beauty like rushing rivers, lofty snow-capped mountains, green plains, mystic deserts, serene backwaters etc. It is blessed with incredible cultural diversity, expressed in diverse attires, languages, customs, crafts, festivals and cuisines. Naturally, it has emerged as a coveted tourist destination for Omanis, which is evident in the increase in the number of visas issued by the Embassy, reaching over 95,000 in 2016.

In recent years, India has also emerged as a preferred destination for medical and wellness tourism, with numerous Omanis choosing India for their medical treatment at various state-of-the-art hospitals. The Embassy has created a special window for processing medical visas.

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