MUSCAT: The Indian diaspora in Oman has played an instrumental role in building Oman and also have strengthened our ties with Oman and generated a great deal of goodwill for India, Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Indian Parliamentarian and Chairman of Parliament’s External Affairs Standing Committee, said.

“Oman’s friendship with India was at the full display when the country helped secure the release of Fr. Tom Uzhunnalil, an Indian priest who was held hostage by terrorists in Yemen,” Dr. Tharoor told The Arabian Stories.

According to Dr. Tharoor, Oman and India are close allies, we are linked by geography and historical, s and cultural ties especially due to our historical maritime trade routes.

“Our trading ties still remain strong, the value of our bilateral trade and investments is estimated to be US$ 4 billion. India is a land of opportunity for the business community in Oman. When I visited Oman in 2010 as Minister of State for External Affairs, I had pointed out the return of investment in India is one of the highest in the world and urged the business community in Omani to invest in India. In 2010, we had set up the India-Oman Joint Investment Fund to boost our ties. Apart from trade relations, there are many sectors we can tap to improve relations between our countries, especially in the field of tourism, cultural relations, medical tourism, and technology education,” Dr. Tharoor added.

When asked how India’s foreign policy with Arab Gulf countries during the NDA rule is, Dr. Tharoor said that India’s relations with the Gulf countries are strong and have been deepening over the years.

“There has been a consensus among all political parties in India to continue with our tradition of deepening and improving our ties with the Gulf countries. In that sense, I am satisfied that the government has continued with this consensus. A large proportion of our foreign remittances is from the Gulf countries, and nearly 60 percent of our crude oil imports is from this region. However, there is still room for greater engagement,” Dr. Tharoor said.

He also added that there is a lot India can gain from AI technology in Gulf countries such as in the UAE, whereas the Gulf countries can benefit from India’s advancements in the field of space and medical expertise. We also share a common desire for stability in the Middle East and must work towards it.

(The exclusive interview of Dr Tharoor, which we have run in three parts ends today.)