Muscat [Oman], December 17 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Muscat, Oman on Wednesday, on a two-day visit in the last leg of his three-nation tour. He arrived in Oman after completing his successful visits to Jordan and Ethiopia.

Marking the importance of the visit, the Prime Minister was welcomed at Muscat airport by Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, and was accorded a guard of honour, reflecting the significance attached to the visit by the Omani side.

Soon after his arrival, Prime Minister Modi highlighted the enduring ties between the two countries in a message on X. 'Landed in Muscat, Oman. This is a land of enduring friendship and deep historical connections with India. This visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration and add fresh momentum to our partnership,' he said.

https://x.com/narendramodi/status/2001287934163681593?s=20

The two-day visit is taking place at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and is expected to focus on strengthening the Strategic Partnership. During the visit, the Prime Minister is slated to engage with the Omani leadership, with particular emphasis on enhancing cooperation in commercial and economic domains.

Within this framework, the talks are also expected to push forward discussions on an ambitious trade pact.

The visit assumes added significance as Prime Minister Modi's second trip to the Gulf nation, coinciding with India and Oman marking 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, lending a commemorative dimension to the engagements.

Against this backdrop, India has conveyed that it is 'very optimistic' about concluding a major trade agreement with Oman during the visit. The proposed free trade agreement received approval from the Union Cabinet last Friday and is expected to unlock fresh opportunities across sectors such as textiles, food processing, automobiles, auto components, and gems and jewellery.

Formal negotiations for the agreement, officially termed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), commenced in November 2023 and were wrapped up earlier this year, setting the stage for its possible finalisation.

Free trade agreements generally involve a significant reduction or removal of customs duties on a broad range of goods, along with simplified norms for services trade and measures to encourage investment flows.

India already has a similar pact with another Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member, the United Arab Emirates, which came into effect in May 2022. Other GCC members include Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Within the GCC framework, Oman ranks as India's third-largest export destination, underscoring the scale and importance of the bilateral economic relationship.

Reflecting this optimism, 'We are all very optimistic about it. The teams from both sides have been working very hard for its early finalisation,' Arun Chatterjee, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, had said at a media briefing when asked whether the proposed India-Oman CEPA would be signed during the Prime Minister's visit.

Beyond trade-related matters, the visit is also expected to provide an opportunity for both sides to take stock of the broader bilateral partnership. Deliberations are set to cover trade, investment, energy, defence, security, technology, agriculture and culture, alongside an exchange of views on regional and global issues of shared interest.

'This visit will be an opportunity for both sides to comprehensively review the bilateral partnership, including in the areas of trade, investment, energy, defence, security, technology, agriculture and culture as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest,' the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

Emphasising the significance of the visit, Oman's Ambassador to India, Sheikh Humaid Bin Ali Bin Sultan Al-Mani, told ANI that Prime Minister Modi's trip to Muscat would be a 'very important' milestone in bilateral relations, particularly as both countries mark 70 years of diplomatic ties this year.

Describing the timing as 'very interesting,' the envoy noted that the visit comes two years after Sultan Haitham bin Tariq's visit to India in December 2023 and carries significance 'from different aspects.' (ANI)