MUSCAT : Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Oman to a ceremonial red-carpet welcome, setting the tone for a landmark visit that has combined high-level diplomacy, major economic milestones and an emotional outreach to the Indian diaspora, as India and Oman mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.

Modi was accorded full ceremonial honours on arrival at Muscat International Airport, where he was received by His Highness Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs. The red-carpet reception underscored the importance Muscat places on the visit, which officials on both sides see as a defining moment in the bilateral relationship.

Within hours of the prime minister’s arrival, Oman and India moved to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors, signing a series of memoranda of understanding covering maritime vision, agriculture, food industries, innovation, scientific research, skills development, museums and maritime heritage. Agreements were also signed between business chambers of the two countries to strengthen private-sector collaboration and joint investments.

A key highlight of the visit came at the Oman–India Business Dialogue, where H.E. Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, announced that negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Oman and India have been successfully concluded.

“We are pleased to inform that negotiations on the CEPA have been successfully concluded and are now in the final stages ahead of signing,” Al Yousef said, describing the agreement as a major milestone that would elevate economic relations to a new level.

He said the CEPA would help unlock new opportunities by improving market access, facilitating trade flows and encouraging quality investments and joint projects, in line with Oman’s Vision 2040 and India’s expanding global trade footprint.

Beyond diplomacy and economics, the visit has carried strong emotional resonance. Modi is scheduled to address the Indian community at a large gathering in Muscat, reflecting the central role of people-to-people ties in the relationship. Oman is home to around 675,000 Indians, one of the largest expatriate communities in the Sultanate.

Indian Ambassador to Oman G.V. Srinivas said the visit places special emphasis on community and education, noting that India’s Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is marking 50 years in Oman, with the prime minister expected to interact with students during the celebrations.

Modi’s visit also includes high-level talks with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, focusing on trade, investment, energy, logistics, technology and emerging sectors, as both sides seek to translate historic ties into future-ready partnerships.

As ceremonial pageantry, economic substance and people-to-people bonds converge, officials say the visit signals a decisive step forward — transforming a relationship rooted in history into one shaped by strategic complementarity, shared growth and long-term cooperation.

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