HM TO GREET MODI ON OMAN TRIP
Modi will address Indian diaspora, and meet top Indian and Omani businessmen during his two-day visit to Oman
MUSCAT: His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said will meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Modi’s first official trip to Oman, the government news agency has announced.
A statement from Oman News Agency reads: “In the framework of close cooperation between the Sultanate and the friendly Republic of India, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in the country on Sunday for a two- day visit to the Sultanate, during which he will meet with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.”
The Prime Minister will be accompanied by an official del- egation comprising a number of senior government officials, the statement added.
Modi’s four-day Gulf tour includes Palestine and Abu Dhabi.
The Indian PM will address Indian expats at the Sultan Qaboos Stadium later today (Sunday) and will also meet eminent Omani and Indian businessmen.
India’s Ambassador to Oman, Indra Mani Pandey, said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit holds significance for the country and for the strong and ever-evolving bilateral ties between the two nations.
“The PM will be visiting Oman on February 11 and 12, 2018. We are looking forward to a successful visit,” Indra Mani Pandey said.
Dr Sathish Nambiar, Chairman, Indian Social Club Oman, said: “I think this is a momentous occasion for all the Indian expatriates in Oman.
“Mr Modi has been Prime Min- ister of India for more than three years now and we have been looking forward to seeing him and listening to him, because there is a very significant Indian diaspora in Oman and I am sure they are all eagerly waiting for him to come here.
“Oman has always had a very good relationship with other countries thanks to the vision of His Majesty, and the relations with India have gone back thousands of years,” added Nambiar.
“Oman and India have been trade partners for centuries now, even if diplomatic relations only began a few decades ago, so there has always been a very good relation between the two countries.
“Oman has been very hospitable and friendly towards all the Indians here, and Indians have contributed a lot to many sectors in the Sultanate, such as engineering, medicine, businesses, telecommunications and many others,” he said.