The relations between India and Oman have mostly been cordial considering trade and people-to-people ties for several millennia. Oman is home to a large Indian expat community and for Oman, India is a significant trading partner. Politically, Oman has been backing up India’s bid for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.
Oman has over five hundred thousand NRIs living there making them the largest expat community in Oman. They annually send $780 million to India which is a significant amount. India is a major destination for Omani students pursuing higher studies and in recent years there has been a spike in the numbers of medical tourists coming into the country from there. Oman has also been trying to promote itself as a tourist destination in India and thus thousands of Indian tourists visit Oman per year on tourist visas and that number is expected to triple soon.
During his forthcoming visit to West Asia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a record crowd of NRIs on February 11, which will happen between Feb 9 and 12 .
On Feb 11, the PM will address community program in Muscat. The interaction has been scheduled to be held at Muscat’s Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. There is immense enthusiasm in Oman for the community programme and people are looking forward to hearing PM Modi according to government sources. PM Modi has always been at the forefront of positive engagement with this diaspora. He sees them as the ‘Rashtradoots’ of India,” the government source informed. PM Modi will also witness a video link of the ground-breaking – called a ‘shila pujan’ in Hindi – for the first ever temple in Abu Dhabi during this West Asia visit, according to the Indian daily, The Economic Times.
Security and economic partnerships between India and the UAE have been growing since Modi’s 2015 visit to the country. Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan had also graced the Republic Day Parade this year.