New Delhi [India], December 16: The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Oman’s Dhofar University signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies – Hindi language, according to a release issued by Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technology (MTCIT) signed an MoU in the field of Information and Technology, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a release.
Another MoU was signed between India’s Financial intelligence Unit (FIU) and Oman’s National Centre for Financial Information (NCFI) on cooperation in the exchange of intelligence related to money laundering, associated predicate offences and terrorism financing. The Indian government and Oman government signed an agreement regarding the gainful employment of accompanying persons of official employees.
The MoUs between two nations were signed during Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s ongoing visit to India. During the visit, Haitham bin Tarik met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
He also held delegation-level talks with PM Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday. The two leaders adopted a new ‘India-Oman joint vision, a partnership for future’ under which both countries will work in ten different areas.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of State V Muraleedhraran, and Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra were also present in the meeting.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik were “comprehensive and constructive.” He stated that PM Modi and Oman Sultan shared concerns about terrorism and discussed possible elements of cooperation in energy security, particularly green energy.
While addressing a special press briefing on the State Visit of Oman Sultan on Saturday, Vinay Kwatra said, “In terms of our trade and commercial relationship, bilateral trade between India and Oman stood at roughly 12.5 billion in 2022-23 and what is significant is that in the last couple of years, it has doubled in quantum. The discussions between Prime Minister and his Majesty were comprehensive and constructive.”
“They covered, as I said, entire range of our bilateral engagement including maritime cooperation, trade and investment cooperation cooperation in new areas including space, financial technology. They shared concern on the problems of terrorism. They also discussed possible elements of cooperation in the field of energy security, particularly green energy, as of course also the possibilities to further strengthen people-to-people ties, including through the popular game of cricket in both the countries,” he added.
Vinay Kwatra said that PM Modi and Oman Sultan adopted ‘India Oman Joint Vision Partnership for Future.’ He congratulated PM Modi on the success of India’s G20 Presidency. He stated that PM Modi and Oman Sultan exchanged perspectives on regional and international issues.He said,
“His Majesty congratulated Prime Minister Modi for the success of India’s G20 presidency and conveyed his appreciation for the invitation extended to Oman and their participation as the special guest. The leaders also exchanged perspective on regional and international issues.”
“In terms of significant outcomes from the discussion. First, the two leaders adopted India Oman Joint Vision Partnership for Future. The joint vision basically envisages path for our bilateral engagement, which is rooted in Oman Vision 2040, which is their national development blueprint under his Majesty Sultan Haitham and India’s development vision under Prime Minister’s Amrit Kaal vision,” he added.
Kwatra noted that the vision document focuses building partnership between Oman and India in eight to ten areas, including maritime cooperation, energy security and green energy.
Vinay Kwatra said, “This vision document focuses building partnership between India, Oman in broadly eight to ten areas which are, as I also mentioned a while earlier, area of maritime cooperation and connectivity, two energy security and green energy in particular green hydrogen, three space for digital payments including other ecosystem industries of fintech, the full bucket of health, tourism and hospitality related partnership. Disaster management featured very prominently in discussions between the Prime Minister and his Majesty, agriculture and food security and of course cricket.”
