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Members of the Indian diaspora in Muscat on Wednesday turned out in large numbers to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrived in the Omani capital for the final leg of his three-nation visit, chanting his name and celebrating his presence.
The scenes in Muscat highlighted the strong emotional bond and sense of pride within the Indian community, many of whom gathered specifically to greet the Prime Minister during his visit to the Sultanate. Reflecting this enthusiasm, Neeru, a member of the Indian diaspora from Kutch, said she was eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see the Prime Minister in person. "I am very excited. This will be the first time I will see him from so close. We feel lucky to be able to meet him," she said. Similar sentiments were echoed by Rashmi, another member of the Indian community, who described the visit as especially meaningful given her earlier interaction with the Prime Minister in India. "I am very excited and feel very lucky. Our year started with attending the Indian Diaspora event in Odisha. We got to meet PM Modi there too," she said. The warm reception by the diaspora coincided with Prime Minister Modi's arrival in Oman on Wednesday for a two-day visit, during which he is scheduled to engage with the country's top leadership. The visit has drawn attention for its focus on deepening bilateral engagement, including discussions on an ambitious trade agreement. On arrival, Prime Minister Modi was received by Oman's Deputy Prime Minister for Defence Affairs, Sayyid Shihab bin Tariq Al Said, and was accorded a guard of honour. The visit is being undertaken at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. The timing of the visit is significant, as it marks Prime Minister Modi's second trip to the Gulf nation and coincides with India and Oman commemorating 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Against this backdrop, India has conveyed that it is "very optimistic" about finalising a major trade deal with Oman during the visit. The proposed free trade agreement between the two countries received approval from the Union Cabinet last Friday. Negotiations for the agreement, officially titled the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), formally began in November 2023 and concluded earlier this year. "We are all very optimistic about it. The teams from both sides have been working very hard for its early finalisation," Arun Chatterjee, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, had said at a media briefing when asked whether the proposed India-Oman CEPA would be signed during the Prime Minister's visit. "We have immense faith that this agreement, if signed during this visit, will significantly deepen the economic ties between India and Oman. And it will open up a new chapter in the history of India-Oman trade and commercial relationship," he added. Beyond trade, Prime Minister Modi is also expected to hold discussions with Sultan Haitham bin Tarik on further strengthening the Strategic Partnership, including cooperation in commercial and economic sectors. As part of his engagements, the Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a gathering of the Indian diaspora in Oman, continuing his outreach to the overseas Indian community. "This visit will be an opportunity for both sides to comprehensively review the bilateral partnership, including in the areas of trade, investment, energy, defence, security, technology, agriculture and culture, as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs said in an earlier statement. (ANI)
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