Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Oman from December 17 to 18, 2025

Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi was on a 2-day official visit to Oman from December 17 to 18, 2025 as the final leg of his 3-nation tour that included Jordan and Ethiopia, at the invitation of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, the Sultan and PM of Oman. This visit marked his second visit to Oman.

• His visit coincided with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Oman:

Arrival: On December 17 2025, PM Narendra Modi arrived at the airport in Muscat, the capital city of Oman, where he was received by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tarik, Deputy PM for Defence Affairs and was accorded a ceremonial welcome.

Bilateral Meeting: PM Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said, Sultan of Oman,  at the Royal Palace (in Muscat), where he was accorded a ceremonial welcome.

• The meeting was held in one-on-one, restricted and delegation-level formats, during which both leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations.
• During the meeting, both leaders discussed cooperation in food security, manufacturing, digital technologies, critical minerals, logistics, human-capital development, and space, along with enhancing digital payments via Unified Payments Interface (UPI), RuPay, and local currency trade.

India-Oman Business Forum: PM Narendra Modi attended the India-Oman Business Forum held in Muscat, Oman. He was accompanied by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I); and Rajiv Memani, President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

• The forum witnessed the participation of leading business leaders from India and Oman in the fields of energy, agriculture, logistics, infrastructure, manufacturing, among others.

Business Cooperation: During the forum, the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OCCI) and the CII signed an MoU to boost economic collaboration between Indian and Omani businesses.

• The agreement seeks to strengthen business linkages, facilitate joint trade delegations, promote investment opportunities, and attract Indian investors to Oman. It also includes organising events and exhibitions to showcase Omani products and services in India.

Conferred with Order of Oman:

Honour: During the visit, PM Narendra Modi was conferred with the Order of Oman, the highest civilian honor of Oman, by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik during a special ceremony held in Muscat.

• He received this award in recognition of his exceptional contributions in strengthening bilateral relations between India and Oman.

29th Foreign Award: This marks 29th foreign state honor conferred on PM Narendra Modi, during his 11 year tenure as PM of India.

Key Outcomes:

India and Oman Signed CEPA:

CEPA: The key highlight of PM Modi’s visit to Oman was the signing of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman.

• This marks India’s second bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Oman’s first bilateral agreement with any country since 2006.

Signatories: The agreement was signed by Union Minister Piyush Goyal, MoC&I, Government of India (GoI) and Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry & Investment Promotion of Oman, in the presence of PM Modi and Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in Muscat.

Key Details of CEPA:

• Trade Access: Under the new CEPA, India gains duty-free access to 98% of its tariff lines to Oman, covering 99.38% of exports, while offering liberalised tariffs on 77.79% of its tariff lines, accounting for 94.81% of imports from Oman.
• Exclusions & Services: India has excluded sensitive products like certain agricultural goods, bullion, jewellery, and labour-intensive items from concessions, while the agreement offers a broad services package, with Oman committing to sectors including Information Technology(IT), business, professional, audio-visual, Research and Development (R&D), education, and healthcare services.
• Boost for Indian Professionals: Under the agreement, Oman raises Intra-Corporate Transferee quotas from 20% to 50%, extends Contractual Service Supplier stays from 90 days to 2 years, facilitates entry for skilled professionals, and grants Indian companies 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) access in key sectors.

MoUs Signed: 

During PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Oman, various Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between two countries covering key sectors such as: trade, maritime heritage, agriculture, education and maritime security.

MoU on Maritime Heritage: India and Oman signed a MoU in the field of Maritime Heritage and Museums, aimed to establish collaborative partnerships supporting  maritime museums, including the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal (Gujarat, India).

• The MoU will also promote the exchange of artefacts and expertise, joint exhibitions, research initiatives and capacity-building programmes.

MoU in Agriculture Sector: India and Oman have also signed a MoU in the field of agriculture and allied sectors including animal husbandry and fisheries.

• This MoU aims to promote advancements in agricultural science and technology, enhancement of horticulture, integrated farming systems, and micro-irrigation.

MoU in Higher Education: Also, both countries signed a MoU in higher education that will facilitate the exchange of faculty, researchers, and scholars, and support joint research, particularly applied research, in areas of mutual interest.

India–Oman Strategic Cooperation Initiatives:

Millet Cultivation Cooperation: India and Oman adopted an Executive Programme for cooperation in millet cultivation and agri-food innovation.

• The programme seeks to use scientific expertise of India and favourable agro-climatic conditions to advance millet production, research and promotion.

Maritime Cooperation: Both countries also adopted a Joint Vision Document on Maritime Cooperation that reflects their shared commitment to regional maritime security, blue economy, and sustainable use of ocean resources.

Joint Statement:

India and Oman issued a joint statement at the conclusion of  PM Narendra Modi’s official visit to Oman.

Enhance Investment in Priority Sectors: India and Oman intended to explore investment opportunities in priority sectors of mutual interest like: infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, food security, logistics, hospitality and others.

Science and Technology: Both countries took note of various  ongoing discussions and initiatives that included the proposal to set up AYUSH(Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) chair at the National University of Science and Technology(Oman) and information cell in Oman to promote cooperation in the field of traditional medicine.

Health Cooperation: Both countries acknowledged health cooperation as one of the priority pillars of their partnership and aimed to further bolster the collaboration in this field.

Cultural Cooperation: India and Oman welcomed the joint exhibition ‘Legacy of Indo-Oman Relations’. They also reviewed the initiative for the establishment of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Chair Programme of Indian Studies at the Sohar University (in Oman), promoting cultural and academic exchanges between the two countries.

About Oman:
Prime Minister (PM) and Sultan- Haitham bin Tariq Al Said
Capital- Muscat
Currency- Omani Rial (OMR)