Modi in Muscat: Oman honours PM, signs major CEPA
Modi in Muscat: Oman honours PM, signs major CEPA
Modi receives Oman’s highest honour and both nations seal a pivotal CEPA to deepen trade and strategic ties in Muscat.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the ‘The First Class of the Order of Oman’, the country’s highest national honour, during his visit to Muscat. This marks the 29th international honour accorded to Modi. He landed in Oman on the last leg of his three-nation tour, where he was welcomed by Sultan Haitham bin Tarik at Al Baraka Palace before a bilateral meeting that followed. The discussions culminated in the signing of a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), signaling a deepening of the India-Oman strategic partnership. The MEA spokesperson noted that the CEPA will increase trade, boost investment, catalyse economic diversification, unlock opportunities across major sectors, enhance market access, strengthen supply chains, and generate employment for people on both sides. Modi also participated in the India-Oman Business Forum, where he highlighted a series of reforms in India over the past 11 years that have positioned the country as a competitive market and a reliable partner. Officials emphasised that the agreement covers a wide range of topics including defense and security, energy, agriculture, technology, culture, and people-to-people links, reinforcing a broad-based relationship. The leaders discussed regional and global issues, reaffirming their commitment to a robust strategic partnership. This visit marks a milestone for Oman, as the CEPA is viewed as a pivotal mechanism to expand bilateral trade and investment, with potential emphasis on green energy and other sectors. The honour Modi received has a storied lineage, having previously been conferred on public figures such as Queen Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela, Queen Maxima, Emperor Akihito, and King Abdullah of Jordan, underscoring the ceremony’s prestige. Modi’s remarks at the business forum and the signing of the CEPA together signal a new chapter in India-Oman relations, centered on tangible economic outcomes as well as expanded defense, energy, and cultural cooperation.
