India's West Asia Outreach: PM Modi to Visit Oman & Jordan This Month - FTA on Agenda

India is set to intensify its strategic and economic outreach in West Asia with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Oman and Jordan. Prime Minister Modi will embark on a visit to Oman and Jordan from

December 14 to 18. The visit is expected to put the long-awaited India-Oman Free Trade Agreement at the forefront of discussions, alongside deeper cooperation in defence, trade, investments and regional security, sources told Times Now.

PM Modi to Visit Oman

Muscat is set to host discussions centred on the long-awaited India-Oman Free Trade Agreement, following the conclusion of negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) earlier this year. Notably, Oman, a key neighbour in the Indian Ocean, has grown into one of India’s closest partners in the Gulf.The two nations share deep strategic ties, conducting regular joint military exercises. Their partnership was further strengthened when Sultan Haitham bin Tariq visited New Delhi in December 2023 - the first state visit by an Omani ruler in over two decades.

India-Oman FTA on Agenda

The Centre in August this year had said that the negotiations for India-Oman comprehensive free trade agreement have been concluded. In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said India has signed 15 free trade agreements (FTAs) and six preferential trade agreements to date."Negotiations for India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) have been concluded," he said. The talks for the agreement, officially termed as CEPA, formally began in November 2023.Oman is the third-largest export destination for India among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.India already has a similar agreement with another GCC member, the UAE, which came into effect in May 2022. India has signed five free trade agreements (FTAs) with its trading partners since 2020. It included Mauritius, the UAE, Australia, European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and the UK.

PM Modi's Jordan Visit

Prime Minister Modi will travel to Amman, where King Abdullah II will host him for discussions on trade, investment, and regional security, sources said. Over recent years, Jordan has steadily strengthened its economic ties with India, with bilateral trade reaching $2.875 billion in 2023–24, making India Jordan’s fourth-largest trading partner.Indian firms have invested approximately $1.5 billion in Jordan’s phosphate and textile sectors, and both countries see opportunities to expand cooperation in fertilisers, IT, and pharmaceuticals. King Abdullah II last visited India in February-March 2018, reinforcing the longstanding relationship between the two nations.