India and Oman signed a free trade agreement on Thursday, which will grant duty-free access to 98% of Indian exports to the Sultanate, including textiles, agricultural products, and leather goods. Before Prime Minister Modi, four Indian Prime Ministers—Rajiv Gandhi, PV Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh—had visited Oman, establishing a strong tradition of high-level bilateral engagement. Second trade deal with a GCC member This is also the second trade deal India has inked with a GCC country. Talks for the free trade agreement, officially termed as CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement), formally began in November 2023 and the negotiations concluded this year. The India-Oman FTA is the Sultanate's first bilateral trade agreement since the US pact in 2006.

Source: Mint December 18, 2025 18:59 UTC