A NATIONON THE RISE
Message by the Ambassador of India on the occasion of 75th Republic Day of India
On the proud occasion of the 75th Republic Day of India, I extend my warm greetings and heartiest felicitations to all members of the distinguished Indian community living in the Sultanate of Oman.
I also take this opportunity to extend, on behalf of the Government and the people of India, best wishes for peace, prosperity and continued progress to His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik and the kind people of Oman.
I commend the Indian community in Oman who, through their hard work, diligence and sincerity have earned immense goodwill and respect in the Omani society. Their role in strengthening ties between India and the Sultanate of Oman is deeply appreciated.
As India celebrates its 75th Republic Day, the hearts of 1.4 billion Indians the world over are filled with pride.
The traditions of debate, dialogue and participatory governance, that have been the hallmark of Bharat since ancient times, today find utterance in the rise of India as the largest democracy in the world.
As a mother of democracy, India is also today among the fastest growing large economies, a major scientific and space power, a trailblazer in development and deployment of clean energy, a leader in digital economy, a role model of inclusivity and pluralism and also a major force for global peace and sustainable development.
A new report released by Goldman Sachs predicts that the number of affluent Indians, defined as those with an annual per capita income exceeding US$10,000 is set to cross 100 million people by 2027. To put this in perspective, only 14 countries in the world have total populations of more than 100 million.
In only 10 years, India has moved from being the 11th largest economy in the world to being the 5th largest and is on track to leapfrog to 3rd largest in another few years.
This rise in affluence in the world’s most populous country augurs well for the growth and stability of the global economy and presents an opportunity for shared prosperity.
Friends,
It is a matter of pride that year 2023 was a milestone in our bilateral ties.
India was honoured by the participation of the Sultanate of Oman as a Special Guest under our Presidency of the G-20.
India's invitation to Oman was a sincere gesture of friendship and a mark of the importance attached by the Government of India to the strategic partnership with Oman.
On its part, the participation of Oman in over 150 meetings of the G-20 was meaningful and constructive and Oman’s perspectives and insights contributed to enriching the wide-ranging discussions under our Presidency.
The landmark State visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to India on December 16, 2023, was a fitting capstone to a busy year in bilateral relations.
Being the first State visit from Oman to India in 26 years, and the first State visit of Sultan Haitham since ascending the throne, this visit marked a new milestone in our bilateral ties.
In addition to the rich and in-depth discussions between leaders, the visit also produced significant and substantive outcomes.
A far-reaching ‘India-oman Joint Vision’ titled ‘A Partnership for Future’ was adopted during the visit. This document reflects a shared vision of the leadership of Oman and India for the future of the bilateral relationship, seeking to build on the synergy between ‘Oman Vision 2040’ and India's development vision under ‘Amrit Kaal’ as articulated by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi.
The India-oman Joint Vision is expected to anchor the development of our bilateral ties as a roadmap. A roadmap for the future.
Bilateral trade has doubled over the past 2 years to reach US$ 12.4bn in FY 2022-23. A bilateral Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), for which discussions are ongoing, will further deepen and strengthen our economic partnership.
Our investment partnership will get a huge fillip with the 3rd Oman-india Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF) worth US$ 300mn that was announced during His Majesty’s visit to India.
The commemorative Joint postal stamp released during the visit, designed fittingly by a talented diaspora artist in Oman, is a testimony to our deep-rooted people-to-people ties.
The 5 MOUS signed during the visit, including on cooperation in the fields of Culture and Information Technology as well as setting up of a Chair in Hindi language in Dhofar University will further deepen our cooperation in diverse areas.
Friends,
The relationship between India and the Sultanate of Oman is marked by a friendship stretching back thousands of years, a modern-day partnership marked by mutual trust and respect and a future-ready ‘jugalbandi’ rooted on the synergies of the respective national visions of the two countries.
Under the visionary guidance of our leaders, India-oman relationship is scaling new heights.
As Oman takes steps towards achieving His Majesty’s ‘Vision 2040’, India is Oman’s natural partner, a reliable source for imports, a top destination for Oman’s own exports and investments, a talent pool for Oman’s economy, and partner in technological and economic diversification.
As we step into 2024, the future of our relations will tap into the opportunities in areas as diverse as health and wellness, tourism and culture, space and new technologies, digital and financial inclusion as well as defence and maritime security.
India-oman relations are futureready and the future of our relations is together, collaborative and bright.
As Oman takes steps towards achieving His Majesty’s ‘Vision 2040’, India is Oman’s natural partner, a reliable source for imports, as well as exports