MUSCAT – Speaking to The Arabian Stories, His Excellency Narang reflected on his tenure and highlighted the growing bilateral relationship between India and Oman. “I am proud of being a witness to and being a small part in the development of the overall bilateral relationship. I can take back a lot of things with a reasonable amount of satisfaction, courtesy the support and guidance I received from the people here,” he stated.

Looking back at some of the key achievements during his time in Oman, the Ambassador highlighted the launch of a special project, the publication of the book Mandvi to Muscat: Indian Community and the Shared History of India and Oman, which he listed as one of the proudest achievements of his tenure.

“When I first arrived here, I realised that the unique people-to-people ties between our two countries were truly worth studying. There is a large Indian community in Oman, with a recorded history of more than 200 years. Some of these families are still here, living and thriving as part of the Omani society,” he explained.

H.E. Narang explained that the initiative aligns with India’s priority, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, to celebrate the history of its diaspora abroad. The book, which explores the historical ties and contributions of the Indian community in Oman, was recently released by India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Oman’s Foreign Minister, His Excellency Sayyid Badr Albusaidi.

“The book has not only tried to compile this beautiful story of India-Oman relationship, but also highlight a beautiful facet of the Omani culture, which is inclusive and tolerant enough to have people from India living and thriving as part of their families,” he added.

H.E. Narang also mentioned the compilation of the diaspora archives, a monumental project where more than 7,000 historical records related to the Indian community in Oman have been digitised and are now available online through the National Archives of India portal. The oldest recorded document from this community dates back to 1838.

“When something like that gets done, when you preserve something for the future generations, you feel happy about it… It’s fulfilling to preserve these historical records for future generations,” H.E. Narang remarked, highlighting the significance of documenting and honouring the shared heritage between the two nations.