India, Oman adopt vision document to expand bilateral ties

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on Saturday, December 16, firmed up a vision document to significantly expand bilateral cooperation in around 10 key areas and pushed for concluding a trade pact as early as possible during their “productive” talks here.

Modi and Tarik also discussed the situation arising out of the Hamas-Israel conflict and the challenge of terrorism, as well as the larger need to try and achieve a two-state solution to the Palestine issue as a way forward.

At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra described the discussions between Modi and the visiting leader as “comprehensive and constructive.”.

He said PM Modi and Oman’s Sultan adopted a joint vision document to lay the pathway for bilateral cooperation in a range of areas, including the maritime sphere, connectivity, green energy, space, digital payments, health, tourism, agriculture, and food security.

Kwatra said PM Modi and Sultan Tarik also gave strong impetus and pushed to conclude the India-Oman comprehensive economic partnership agreement as early as possible.

The Sultan of Oman arrived in Delhi on a state visit on Friday—his first trip to India as the top leader of the influential Gulf nation.

“Today is a historic day in India-Oman relations as the Sultan of Oman is on a state visit to India after 26 years… I am sincerely welcoming you on behalf of all the people of India,” Modi said in his opening remarks at the delegation-level dialogue.

India and the Sultanate of Oman are strategic partners, and the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two nations has been on the upswing in the last few years.