Rapid Fire
Negotiations for India-Oman CEPA Concluded
- 14 Aug 2025
- 2 min read
India concluded negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Oman, aimed at boosting trade and investment.
- CEPA is a free trade agreement that encompasses trade in goods and services, along with broader economic cooperation in areas such as trade facilitation, competition policy, and intellectual property rights (IPR).
- It is broader than a standard FTA, also addressing regulatory issues to ensure smooth and predictable trade.
India-Oman Bilateral Relations:
- Strategic Partnership: Oman, bordering the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen, is a key Gulf partner. Diplomatic relations were established in 1955 which was upgraded to strategic partnership in 2008.
- Trade and Economic Relations: Oman is the third-largest export destination among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for India, following UAE and Saudi Arabia.
- Bilateral trade reached USD 10.61 billion (FY 2024-25), with India’s key exports including light oils, rice, machinery, and metals, while imports mainly consisted of crude oil, LNG, fertilizers, and chemicals.
- Multilateral Cooperation: Oman is an important interlocutor in the GCC, Arab League, and IORA.
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