India, Oman adopt vision document

New Delhi, December 16

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on Saturday adopted a vision document to accelerate bilateral cooperation in 10 key areas and five agreements were exchanged including in areas of culture, IT, employment, tackling money laundering and setting up a Hindi chair in Oman’s Dhofar University.

10 key areas

The focus areas outlined by the two countries in the joint vision document are:

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Maritime cooperation | Space | Digital payment | Health | Tourism | Disaster management | Food security | Counter-terror | Energy cooperation | Cricket

The two leaders also spoke of reaching a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) as early as possible during talks between the visiting Oman of Sultan and PM Modi. The Sultan of Oman arrived in Delhi on Friday, his first visit to India after he took over the top post after his cousin Qaboos bin Said passed away in 2020.

“Today is a historic day in India-Oman relations as the Sultan of Oman is on a state visit to India after 26 years. On the basis of our successful engagements, we are creating a path of bright future today,” said the PM while referring to the joint vision document which has “concrete action points” in 10 different areas to give a new and modern shape to bilateral ties. “I am happy that the discussion on the CEPA agreement is going on and two rounds of discussion have been successfully completed where many important issues have been agreed upon,’’ added PM Modi. On the sidelines of the summit meeting between PM Modi and the Sultan Tarik, the Oman India Joint Investment Fund announced the third tranche of investment worth Rs 250 crore. This is the highest allocation by the fund, a JV between SBI and Oman Investment Authority.

PM Modi and the Omani ruler also discussed the situation arising out of the Hamas-Israel conflict.