An agreement signed between Oman News Agency (ONA) and Indian News Agency (ANI)
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India’s Minister of State for External Affairs Mr V Muraleedharan was on a two-day visit to the Sultanate of Oman. He interacted with people of the Indian Community, met Omani ministers and officials and called his second visit to Oman very fruitful. He gave an Exclusive Interview to Oman Observer.
Lakshmi Kothaneth spoke with the Indian Minister
Explaining about his visit Mr V Muraleedharan said, “This is my second visit to Oman. I last visited in December 2020 in the middle of the global pandemic. It is such a pleasure to see Oman being fully open and normal again; all credit to the excellent leadership and management by the Oman Government and the resilience of the Omani people in having successfully put the pandemic behind.”
On Monday morning he officially unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, done by sculptor, Naresh Kumawat, in the Indian Embassy premises. The minister also inaugurated the painting exhibition by the Indian artist Sedunath Prabakaran on ‘India and Oman, a Political Journey’ and the newly designed Library of the Embassy.
An agreement has been signed between Oman News Agency (ONA) and Indian News Agency (ANI). The Indian minister said, “This agreement will definitely help in the free flow of information and news between the two countries. Both countries have historical relationship, but sometimes we feel that real happenings do not get reported. The positive side of the news should be uncolored and unbiased, so these two agencies taking up this cause will help in understanding the other country. This will help people understand each other and enhance people to people ties.”
He added that India and Oman share a friendship that can only be called ‘special’. Our relationship is rooted in centuries-old historical links and based on mutual trust and respect.
Here are the Excerpts of his interview with the Observer:
Is there any mission you have to complete here during your current visit regarding the bilateral relations between India and Oman or regarding the welfare of the Indians in Oman?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited Oman in 2018, has attached high importance to advancing our ties with Oman and sustained high-level contact has nurtured our partnership. I am happy that in the post-pandemic phase, physical contact at high level has resumed. Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr al Busaidy and Minister of Commerce Industry and Investment Promotion Qais Al Yousef, Secretary General of Oman’s Ministry of Defence Mohammed bin Nasser Al Zaabi, visited India in the first half of this year.
My visit to Oman is in line with this periodic exchange of visits, aimed at taking stock of the relationship and charting pathways to further strengthen it.
Oman and India share a unique bond– thousands of years of shared heritage and rich bonds of people-to-people contact. India considers Oman as its key West-Asia partner. What are your comments on how such a bond can be further enhanced towards trade relations and strengthening bilateral relations?
Strong people-to-people connections form the cornerstone of India-Oman relations. Oman is India’s oldest strategic partner in the region and today our relationship straddles a multitude of areas to our peoples’ collective benefit.
Economic and commercial relations between India and Oman have been robust, and both countries accord high priority to further strengthening this relationship. Bilateral trade between India and Oman has shown strong growth, touching almost US$ 10 billion in 2021-2022, a jump of almost 90% from 2020-2021. There are over 6000 India-Oman joint ventures in Oman with an estimated investment of over US$ 7.5 billion. Indian companies have emerged as leading investors in Oman, particularly in Free Zones in Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm, generating value for local industry, creating local jobs and contributing meaningfully to the strengthening of the economy of Oman.
The respective visions of India and Oman also align closely when it comes to deployment of new & renewable energy. Oman’s push to position itself as a leading hub of green hydrogen and green ammonia intertwines with India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission. Indian companies are already active in Oman in this area and the potential to scale up this cooperation is huge.
The strategic priorities identified by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in his Vision 2040 also align closely with the known strengths of the Indian economy. As Oman seeks to realize the Vision 2040, Government of Oman can count on India to be a trusted partner in all priority areas. There are significant opportunities for enhancing our cooperation in several sectors including renewable energy, defence, maritime security, minerals and mining, manufacturing, space and logistics.
What are the challenges and opportunities India faces when you have a large diaspora outside? What about the Indian diaspora in Oman?
Indian diaspora worldwide is the pride of India and the diaspora population in Oman is no exception. Oman is home to a thriving population of Indians, who live and work with their Omani brothers and sisters in harmony and contribute with their enterprise, intellect and hard work to the renewed Omani Renaissance. Oman today hosts more than 650,000 Indian expats, who work in almost all sectors of the Omani economy. Indian workers, doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, teachers, lecturers, nurses, and managers are known for being peace-loving, harmonious, law-abiding and hard working.
Indians living and working in Oman have strengthened the flourishing relationship between the two countries, building trust and goodwill and acting as bridges of friendship. Even though the number of Indians working in Oman declined due to the pandemic related disruptions, I am happy to note that numbers have shown a rising trajectory this year. This not only indicates a strong economic recovery in Oman but also that it remains a preferred destination for Indians living and working abroad.
We deeply appreciate the leadership and support of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik and the Government of Oman for taking very good care of the Indian Diaspora residing in Oman.
The welfare of Indians living abroad is always a priority for my Government. During my visit, I will have opportunity to engage deeply with the eminent members of the Indian diaspora, community organizations and Indian workers to enquire about their wellbeing and seek their suggestions to better harness their contributions for India’s development.
How do you think India’s rise will impact the world in general and Asia in particular?
A rich talent pool, young and aspiring population, a booming technology sector, elite educational institutions, political stability underpinned by an open and democratic ethos, and visionary leadership are all factors that are driving India’s quest to become a major power. Today India is a pioneer in Space, IT and IT Enabled Services, Online Education, Cyber Security, digital inclusion, to name just a few sectors. India has emerged as a global innovation hub and has more than 100 unicorns today, most in diverse technological space. A major milestone in our developmental journey was when India overtook the UK to become the world’s 5th largest economy. India’s rise is today part of global conversation and will continue to define the collective global future. As India moves from 75thyear of Independence this year to the 100th year in 2047, which Prime Minister Modi has called the ‘Amrit Kaal’ and becomes a developed economy, we hope to play an influential role in the world and Asia promoting peace, security, progress and development for all.
I have noticed that India has extended an invitation for Oman to G20 during its presidency next year. Could you please elaborate to us on the preparations going on in India for G20, and how significant is it as an opportunity?
India will hold the Presidency of the G20 from 1 December 2022 to 30 November 2023, culminating with the G20 Summit in India in 2023. Under its Presidency, India is expected to host over 200 G-20 meetings across the country and the G-20 Leaders’ Summit at the Heads of State / Government level on 09-10 September 2023 in New Delhi.
As a mark of our special friendship, India has extended an invitation to the Sultanate of Oman to participate in the G-20 Summit and meetings as a Special Guest. This will be an excellent opportunity for the Sultanate of Oman to participate in the premier intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies, accounting for nearly 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world population. Oman’s participation in the meetings of the G-20 will also provide a significant platform to deepen further and strengthen the multifaceted cooperation between the Governments of India and Oman.
India is known for medical tourism and there is immense potential in this area. However, it seems it is under-marketed. Could you please share with us what steps are being taken to promote medical tourism?
In recent years, India has emerged as the pharmacy of the world and one of the most preferred destinations for medical tourism. Given the top quality medical facilities and cost-effective treatment, India is the most popular destination for medical treatment not only for Omani citizens but also for many other countries.
As for Oman, it is seen that more than 60% of visas are issued for medical purposes. Omani people have immense trust in Indian doctors and their familiarity with the friendly people of India make India their preferred choice for availing high quality, low cost medical treatment.
I must mention that India has emerged as a destination for not just for high end medical services but also wellness and traditional medicine. Ayurvedic treatment is gaining popularity and Oman has the most Ayurvedic clinics in the Gulf region. We are working closely with all stakeholders to further popularize and promote holistic Ayurvedic treatment in Oman.
Traveling to India for medical purposes is simple and hassle free. Our online visa services are available 24×7 to facilitate travel from Oman to India.
Our Embassy in Muscat is actively engaged with relevant stakeholders in Oman to further promote medical tourism. B2B interactions are organized on regular basis. Recently, more than 50 Indian hospitals and Ayurvedic Centers participated in Oman Health Exhibition and Conference.
Excellency, an MoU has been signed between Asia News International (ANI) of India and Oman News Agency (ONA). Can you please elaborate on what this MoU is all about and how I will help in enhancing the cooperation in the Media sector?
ANI is one of the largest and most popular news agencies in India. The MoU between ANI and ONA will facilitate the exchange of news, information, and other media content between these two agencies. This will help enable people on both sides to know each other better, enhance the quantity and quality of news coverage of either side, and promote better understanding of India in Oman and Oman in India.
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