PM Modi in Muscat: India signs free trade agreement with Oman—only the second for the Gulf nation

Key Highlights

• Senior officials, quoted by ANI, describe it as a “turning point” that will promote greater investment, jobs and mutual prosperity between India and Oman. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said the deal follows nearly two years of meticulous negotiation.
• “Tomorrow will be an instrumental day,” he told reporters ahead of the signing. Quick ReadsView AllLuthra brother hospitalised with chest pain, Goa court hearing in limboYour next pay rise may be smaller under new labour codes: ReportThe pact not only opens doors for tariff-free exports such as textiles, chemicals, and engineering goods, which together represent billions in trade, but also strengthens India’s longer-term strategic engagement in the Gulf—including deeper cooperation on energy security, port connectivity and Indian investments in Oman’s logistics and industrial hubs. More than just tradeBeyond tariff cuts, the CEPA aims to facilitate cooperation in logistics, infrastructure, energy, and technology, aligning with Oman’s role as a gateway to markets in the Gulf, East Africa and beyond. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADPrime Minister Modi, speaking at a business summit in Muscat, called the agreement a “blueprint of our shared future,” stressing on its potential not just for commerce, but for strengthened bilateral ties and regional collaboration.“India-Oman partnership will give a new direction, new speed, and help it reach new heights.
• In this, all of you play a big role," PM Modi said.#WATCH | Muscat, Oman: At the India-Oman Business Summit, PM Narendra Modi says, "The Summit today India-Oman partnership will give a new direction, new speed, and help it reach new heights.
• In this, all of you play a big role."(Video: ANI/DD News) ANI (@ANI) December 18, 2025For India, the CEPA with Oman is a strategic win that follows earlier trade deals with other Gulf partners and reflects an ongoing push to diversify export markets and integrate more deeply into global supply chains. Follow Firstpost on Google.
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