Sunday 05 / July / 2026
MUSCAT: India’s newly appointed Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, expressed confidence that the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will open a new chapter in bilateral trade and investment. The landmark pact is already showing early signs of success through the first-ever export of Indian biscuits to Oman announced separately by India’s Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal.
Speaking during his first interaction with the media since assuming office in Muscat, Pise said the CEPA, which came into effect on June 1, is expected to improve market access, facilitate investment and deepen commercial cooperation between the two countries.
He said the business communities in both India and Oman are optimistic about the opportunities created by the agreement, which is expected to unlock new avenues for businesses, entrepreneurs and investors while further strengthening the long-standing economic partnership between the two countries.
The ambassador’s remarks came as Goyal announced the first-ever shipment of 40 metric tonnes of biscuits manufactured in Varanasi to Oman under the CEPA framework, describing it as an important milestone in India’s export journey.
According to the minister, an MoU has also been signed to export nearly 700 metric tonnes of biscuits to Oman and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries during FY2026-27.
He said preferential tariff benefits under the India-Oman CEPA have enabled duty-free access for Indian biscuits, making them more competitive in the Omani market and boosting Indian manufacturers.
Although Pise did not specifically refer to the shipment during his interaction, Goyal’s announcement represents one of the earliest tangible outcomes of the trade agreement, lending momentum to expectations that CEPA will accelerate bilateral commerce and create fresh opportunities for exporters from both countries.
Pise said India and Oman share a deep-rooted strategic partnership that continues to expand across trade, investment, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
He reaffirmed India’s commitment to working closely with Oman to maximise the benefits of CEPA and further strengthen economic engagement.
Beyond trade, the ambassador highlighted measures aimed at improving services for the nearly 700,000-strong Indian community in Oman.
He said that visa and consular services are now available across all 11 governorates of the Sultanate through SGIVS Global, enabling Indian nationals to access passport renewals, attestations and other consular services closer to where they live instead of travelling to Muscat.
“Now the workers can avail of the consular services from the convenience of the centres near their homes. Therefore, they don’t have to come to Muscat for the renewal of passports or any other needs,” Pise said.
He added that while routine services have been decentralised, the Embassy of India remains available to assist members of the Indian community facing other difficulties.
“However, the door of the embassy is open for them if they face any other difficulty,” he said.
Responding to queries on passport renewal fees, particularly for Indian domestic workers whose passports are generally renewed for two years, Pise explained that the policy is linked to the Emigration Check Required (ECR) category and is intended to safeguard vulnerable workers.
The ambassador said strengthening economic cooperation through CEPA while enhancing citizen-centric services for the Indian diaspora would remain among the embassy’s priorities as India and Oman continue to build on their comprehensive strategic partnership.
