Oman is a crucial pillar of India’s West Asia policy. India and Oman share a longstanding history of friendship and cooperation, and the bilateral trade and investment relationship between them has flourished since diplomatic relations were established in 1955, which was upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008. His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the Sultan of Oman, on the invitation of Indian President Draupadi Murmu, visited New Delhi on December 16, 2023. A Joint Vision Document – ‘A Partnership for Future’ was adopted by India and Oman that identifies a range of areas such as maritime cooperation and connectivity, energy security and green energy, space, technologies, and applications, digital payments and financial cooperation, trade and Investment, health, tourism and hospitality, IT & innovation, as well as agriculture and food security with specific action points as part of the future roadmap to deepen ties between both countries for implementation.
Bolstering Defence dynamics
Oman is the first Gulf country with which all three wings of India’s defence forces hold joint exercises. India has access to the key Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support. The port is situated on the southeastern seaboard of Oman, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is located in close proximity to the Chabahar port in Iran. With the Assumption Island being developed in Seychelles and Agalega in Mauritius, Duqm fits into India’s proactive maritime security roadmap. The MoU on Duqm port has provided basing facilities for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force since 2018. This is part of India’s maritime strategy to counter Chinese influence and activities in the region.
Oman is the first Gulf country with which all three wings of India’s defence forces hold joint exercises. India has access to the key Port of Duqm in Oman for military use and logistical support. The port is situated on the southeastern seaboard of Oman, overlooking the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean. It is located near the Chabahar port in Iran
The Ministries of Defence of both countries review their relations annually under the aegis of the Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) meeting. Both the Air Force and Navy undertake staff talks on a regular basis, which has been the catalyst for new areas of cooperation. A large number of Omani Military personnel regularly subscribe to numerous courses offered under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC).
The Indian Air Force has also been holding biannual joint exercises with the Royal Air Force of Oman since 2009. The Indian Navy launched ‘Operation Sankalp’ in June 2019 to ensure the safe passage of Indian-flagged ships off the coast of Oman. The joint maritime exercise, Naseem Al Bahr, conducted by the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman in the Gulf of Oman in 2022, showcased the seamless cooperation between the two countries’ navies in bolstering maritime security. The Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and constructed guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam arrived at Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, on 30 July 2023 for a three-day port call, during which various naval cooperation events, such as students visiting INS Visakhapatnam, musical band performances by the Indian Navy and sporting and cultural programmes marked the interaction between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman, which culminated with a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) on 3 August 2023.
India-Oman Free Trade Deal on anvil
India-Oman bilateral trade more than doubled from USD 5.4 billion in 2020-21 to USD 12.3 billion in 2022-23. Negotiations were initiated on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that has the potential to catapult this partnership and achieve a higher growth trajectory. There is a need for a focused approach to enhancing investments and trade between countries. In this regard, the third tranche of $300 million (2,500 crore) for the Oman-India Joint Investment Fund was created to invest in the fastest-growing segments of the Indian economy. The first tranche was valued at $100 million, and the second at about $200 million. The Indian Foreign Secretary V Kwatra said this funding reflects the desire of the two countries to forge a very strong base of economic ties through direct capital investments in the growing sectors of the Indian economy. India was the second-largest market for Oman’s crude oil exports after China in 2022. India and Oman launched the Rupay Debit Card, a key initiative to promote digital public infrastructure (DPI) in the world.
India-Oman bilateral trade more than doubled from USD 5.4 billion in 2020-21 to USD 12.3 billion in 2022-23. Negotiations were initiated on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that has the potential to catapult this partnership and achieve a higher growth trajectory
Strategic areas of cooperation
There is a possibility of joint exploration in areas of space and earth material. Oman can play a vital role in the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Connectivity Corridor (IMECC). There is a proposal from South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), India to lay a 1,400 km long deep-sea pipeline from Oman to India for the transfer of gas. In the larger dynamics in the operations of IMECC connectivity, India-Oman relations stand to gain better in future.
Gaza Conflict
India-Oman bilateral talks come in the backdrop of the Gaza conflict. Both sides strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. They agreed that there cannot be any justification for any act of terror whatsoever. They affirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation to combat terrorism and underscored the significance of fostering the universal values of peace, moderation, coexistence, and tolerance while highlighting the imperative of renouncing all types of violent extremism. Oman acknowledges Indian airlifted aid to the beleaguered Palestinians. The conflict between Israel and Hamas was discussed and its regional implications in West Asia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has discussed the ongoing conflict with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called for early restoration of peace and stability in the region.
There is a possibility of joint exploration in areas of space and earth material. Oman can play a vital role in the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Connectivity Corridor (IMECC). There is a proposal from South Asia Gas Enterprise (SAGE), India to lay a 1,400 km long deep-sea pipeline from Oman to India for the transfer of gas
Exchange of MoUs
Several agreements and MoUs were signed and exchanged in areas of culture, sports, youth, electronics and information technology and joint action against money laundering and terror financing.
Conclusion
Sultan’s visit to Delhi was timely and important for India and the region in the backdrop of the Gaza conflict. There are a lot of convergences and shared interests for India and Oman in this turbulent and volatile region. In the strategic area of maritime security in terms of anti-piracy operations, India-Oman relations stand to gain, expand and accelerate in the coming times.
-The writer is geopolitical analyst who specialises in matters of defense and national security. Views herein expressed do not reflect that of Raksha Anirveda
