Indian PM Narendra Modi to visit Oman

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting the Sultanate on a two-day visit from Sunday, Oman's state news agency has announced.

"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 statement read.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will spark a frenzy with an official trip to the Sultanate from Sunday.

On his two-day visit to the Sultanate, which is part of the 4-day Gulf tour of Palestine, Abu Dhabi and Oman, he will meet His Majesty, address the Indian expat community in Oman at Sultan Qaboos Stadium on Sunday, and meet with eminent Omani and Indian businessmen.

The Indian Social Club is distributing passes for a speech at the venue — but only an unspecified number of lucky Indian expats will be able to attend, out of the nearly 800,000 Indians currently living in Oman.

An overwhelming crowd of over 25,000 Indians has registered for the event to hear the address of Prime Minister. For the rest, Times of Oman will provide the best seat in the house, with exclusive interviews and live coverage.

This is Prime Minister Modi’s maiden visit to Oman though he transited through Salalah, Oman, on 28 November 2008 on his way to Africa, when he was Chief Minister of Gujarat.

The Indian community in Oman has been looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister in Oman. Various sections of the Indian community including students, professionals, workers, businessmen, homemakers and senior citizens will be attending the event.

Another important engagement of the Prime Minister during his visit to Oman will be the “India-Oman Business Meet”, to be held on February 12, where the Prime Minister will address the business leaders of Oman.

The forum, aimed at encouraging Omani and Indian businesspersons to do more business with each other, is being organized by Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Oman, in association with Embassy of India, Muscat.

During his visit, Prime Minister will also visit Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, the iconic Mosque of Oman as well as the Shiva Temple in Muscat, which is said to be over 100 years old.

The visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a reflection of the high importance that the Government of India has attached to the multi-faceted and mutually beneficial India-Oman strategic partnership. India-Oman bilateral cooperation and partnership has been expanding, and this visit is expected to take the strategic partnership to a new high.

A number of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) are expected to be signed during the visit.