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Home , Omani people, Shankar Dayal Sharma

Presented by Prime Minister attends - Business Meet in , Oman (February 12, 2018)

INDIA-OMAN RELATIONS A PRODUCT OF HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BONDS By Dr. Lakshmi Priya*

ndia and Oman share a strategic and Oman bilateral trade amounts to $ 6.7 billion cordial relationship, well refl ected in their (2017-18). The visit of Indian Prime Minister Imulti-faceted bilateral engagements across Narendra Modi to Oman in February 2018 various fi elds. India as well as Oman have served to further bolster the already warm and respected each other’s sovereignty and share cordial relationship between the two countries. an enduring bond which has only been growing India’s capital is geographically stronger with time. closer to Muscat than many Indian cities. The Situated across the Arabian Sea, India is roots of the India-Oman relationship can be Oman’s natural partner with which it has been traced to the 5000 year old maritime trade engaged in trade since ancient times. Oman between the two countries. Oman has been hosts over 800,000 Indian expatriates who bestowed with a topography that isolates it send remittances back home and are a constant within the Arabian Peninsula as well as keeps source of income for India. There are more it secluded from the outside world. The Gulf of than 250 flights per week between Muscat Oman, the Arabian Sea, and the Rub al Khali and Salalah in Oman and a dozen locations in (Empty Quarter) of Saudi Arabia ensure that India. India and Oman conduct regular biennial the only contact that Oman can have with outer bilateral military exercises, and the total India- world is through its water ways. It is no wonder,

14 • INDIA-OMAN • 2018 then, that the fi rst contact between these two Recent past countries occurred through the sea. A number of high level visits have taken place between India and Oman in the last few Political and Strategic Ties decades. Indian Prime Ministers including Shri India and Oman share strong political ties (1985), Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao which have survived the test of time. When (1993), Shri. (1998), Dr. Sultan Qaboos ibn Saeed was trying to bring (2008) and Narendra Modi stability to Oman after the Marxist inspired India and Oman (2018) have all visited Oman while in offi ce. rebellion engulfed the Dhofar region, many have also regularly Indian President Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma countries withdrew from Oman. India, however, also visited Oman in 1996, during which Oman still maintained its presence in the country. engaged in joint conferred its highest civilian award on him as When Oman emerged as an independent nation military, army and a friendly gesture. His Majesty Sultan Qaboos state, India supported the Sultan on most bin Said al Said visited India in 1997. Both issues at a time when many Arab states voted navy exercises. countries are signatories to numerous MoUs against Oman. The then Indian External Affairs Bilateral trade and dealing with hydrocarbon, space technology, Minister Swaran Singh had welcomed Oman’s investment has been fi sheries, agriculture, civil aviation, avoidance entry into the United Nations. This gesture was of double taxation, security, defence and energy. soon reciprocated by Oman as it abstained from another important India and Oman have also regularly engaged the debate and subsequent vote on the 1971 area of collaboration in joint military, army and navy exercises. Bangladesh confl ict at the UN. At the time, it Bilateral trade and investment has been another was the only Muslim country to not support between the two important area of collaboration between the two Pakistan whole heartedly. countries which countries which has seen major developments In more recent times, the political in the last few years. In 2010, the India-Oman engagement between the two countries has has seen major Joint Investment Fund cap was increased from increasingly taken on a more strategic shape. developments in the $100 Million to $1.5 billion. Counter terrorism is an issue of common India and Oman are both part of the Indian concern between India and Oman. Since 1994, last few years. Ocean Rim Association (IORA). Oman is also when a plot to overthrow Sulatna Qaboos by the a member of the International North–South Muslim Brotherhood was uncovered, Oman has Transport Corridor (INSTC), which is an Indian strongly condemned terrorism and radicalism initiative to gain access to Afghanistan and in all its forms. India, given its diffi cult history Central Asia. with terrorism, also condemns it in the strongest On the economic side of things, India has terms. the potential to play an important role in the

Dr. Manmohan Singh with the Sultan of Oman, Mr. Prime Minister meets Sayyid Asa’ad bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Al-Said in Muscat on November 9, 2008. Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs of Oman in Muscat (February 12, 2018)

2018 • INDIA-OMAN • 15 Oman Vision 2020 by helping Oman diversify pepper, and cardamoms to the Imam of Muscat. its economy through investments in fi nance, Tipu Sultan remitted half of the duties levied insurance, and telecommunications. Both on Imam’s vessels and imported dates, horses countries have made mutual investments worth and mules as a friendly gesture. $7.5 billion. Oman has also invited Indian India and Oman also share deep cultural companies to invest in special economic zones ties. Both countries have preserved their Islamic of Oman, including SEZs in Duqm, Sohar and heritage and contributed to the development of Salalah, during the February visit of the Indian the language and literature. The liberal PM to Oman. India-Oman socio Ibadi traditions strike a chord with religious and cultural relations social tolerance, a value that is cherished by Historical connect India. There is stark similarity in the zari work Archaeological evidence, including depend, to a great and wood carvings of Rajasthan and Oman. paintings and seals on clay objects belonging extent, on people The popular Omani turban Mussar and the to the Indus valley civilisation found in Oman, caps called Kummah that are an important part suggest that India and Oman share historical to people contact. of the Omani traditional attire are emblazoned ties that go back 5000 years. Omani traders Indians fi rst came with Kashmiri embroidery, and were imported depended on Gujarat for ship building during by Oman from India until recent times. Indian the seventh century. When European forces into contact with fi lms have also been fi lmed in Omani locales, started penetrating the Indian Ocean, India Omanis during serving to introduce Arab culture to India and and Oman intended to ward them off together. further strengthen the cultural ties between Oman took the lead in expelling the Portuguese the Sumerian and the two countries. Hindi fi lms garner more infl uence in the Gulf, in India and from coastal Harappa civilisations. viewership than Hollywood movies in Oman, East Africa in their quest to regain control which depicts the deep cultural bond shared by over the main commercial region in the Indian the people of both countries. Ocean. The ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, maintained Socio Cultural Connect diplomatic relations with Sultan bin Ahmad of India-Oman socio cultural relations depend, Oman and both appointed ambassadors to each to a great extent, on people to people contact. other’s courts. Tipu Sultan sent a diplomatic Indians fi rst came into contact with Omanis mission to Oman in 1786. The mission during the Sumerian and Harappa civilisations. presented jewels, elephants, sandalwood, ivory, The Magan civilisation had trade relations with India where, in all probability, Magan referred Prime Minister visits Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (February 12, 2018) to Oman. Even in modern times, Indians and Omanis have regularly interacted with each other. The Khuda Baksh library in Patna (Bihar, India) has books detailing the lives and times of Omani rulers belonging to the family of Sultan Qaboos. Indian trader communities including Khojas from Eastern India settled in Muscat and contributed to the development of Oman. Bhattias of Sind province were one of the earliest communities to settle in Oman. They had so much infl uence that their unparalleled business skills exponentially enhanced regional trade. Gradually, they also came to wield signifi cant political infl uence in Oman. Furthermore, a number of Omanis have lived and studied in India. Sultan Taimur bin Faisal came to India in 1932 and lived in India till he died and was buried in Mumbai. Sultan Saeed bin Taimur and Fahd bin Taimur studied

16 • INDIA-OMAN • 2018 The Indian community enthusiastically welcomes the Prime Minister to Muscat, Oman on February 11, 2018. in Mayo college in Ajmer, Rajasthan where on arrival to Indians who have a valid visa of two halls have been named in honour of Oman US, UK, Canada, Australia, Schengen or Japan. and our deep bond with the . The Indian community in Oman is organised Religious tolerance has been another hallmark under the Indian Social Clubs in Muscat, of the India-Oman cultural friendship. Hindu Salalah, Sohar and Sur. The Indian embassy in temples were allowed to be built in Oman and, Oman has played a seminal role in developing by the 1760s, there were four Hindu temples cultural ties between the two countries. India in Muscat alone. PM Modi paid a visit to the opened its consulate in Oman in 1965 followed 125-year old Shiva temple situated in Muscat by the Embassy in 1973. The Embassy during his latest visit to Oman. organised the first ever Festival of India in Oman in November 2016. It has been Thriving Expatriate Culture in Oman organising a series of events and programs Currently, there are 800,000 Indian showcasing Indian culture in Oman since it expatriates in Oman and they form 20 percent hosted a special reception celebrating 70 years of the Omani population. A large number of of India’s independence in 2017. them are engaged in white collar jobs in Oman Given the historical, cultural and economic and contribute to the growth of the Omani depth of the India-Oman bilateral relationship, economy. Despite introducing the policy of it is only natural that Oman remains one of ‘Omanisation’ in 1988, Oman has warmly India’s foremost allies in the Gulf region and received Indian expatriate workers as the the world at large. latter enjoy an image of being hard working and apolitical. Several hundred Indians who * Dr. Lakshmi Priya is a Research Assistant have been living in Oman for generations have at the Institute for Defence Studies and been granted Omani citizenship. Oman also Analyses, New Delhi. Having completed her has one of the best labour laws in the region, PhD from University, she has guaranteeing swift compensation to foreign published several articles on issues related to workers in case anything goes wrong. In June Syria and the Gulf region at large. Her areas of 2018, Oman announced its policy to grant visas interest are West Asia and North Africa.

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