The Sultanate of Oman and India have explored proposals in space, mining, maritime, and science and technology sectors to strengthen bilateral relations.
The strategic partnership was reviewed during a two-day visit of HE Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al Busaidi, Foreign Minster of Oman to India at the invitation of the Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment towards their close strategic partnership and stressed that, as neighbors joined by the Arabian Sea’s waters, both countries play a key role in the region’s maritime safety and security.
“India is among Oman’s top trading partners and bilateral trade for the current financial year (2021-2022), which so far is almost $7.5 billion. People-to-people ties are another important facet of the bilateral relationship as Oman is home to approximately 620,000 Indian nationals,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated.
HE Sayyid Badr and Dr. Jaishankar assessed the multi-faceted India-Oman relations that span several areas of cooperation including political, strategic, defense, economic, energy, investment, space, mining, science and technology, cultural, consular and humanitarian cooperation.
Both parties noted that, while traditional areas of cooperation are being strengthened, new development drivers are also adding significant strength and energy to bilateral cooperation.
Cooperation in defense remains one of the key pillars of a bilateral tie between the two nations. The ministers welcomed the timely renewal of longstanding MoUs on military cooperation and maritime issues.
Following the meeting, The India Post and Oman Post signed an MoU for the issuance of an India-Oman joint commemorative stamp. The stamp will highlight the millennia-old shared cultural heritage between the countries and will be released in the last quarter of 2022. The ministers also witnessed the signing of the Program of Scientific and Technological Cooperation within a joint committees program.
