India and Oman have renewed two major defence pacts that focus on enhancing on maritime security and military cooperation. Oman is India's oldest strategic partner in the Gulf region and a key ally in the Indo-Pacific region and eastern and southern Africa.
The two agreements include a maritime transport agreement, which was signed in December 2019 and another agreement that was agreed upon in 2018, which gave Indian Navy access to facilities at Oman’s Duqm port.
1. Maritime transport agreement
India and Oman had signed a maritime transport agreement in December 2019 during Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar's visit to the nation.
Why is this important?
The maritime agreement enabled India to expand its footprint in the western and southern Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf and East Africa. It was the first such agreement that India had signed with any gulf nation.
2. Agreement giving Indian Navy access to facilities at Oman’s Duqm port
India and Oman had signed another agreement giving Indian Navy access to facilities at Oman’s Duqm port in 2018 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Muscat, Oman.
Why is this important?
•The Duqm port serves as India’s gateway to the wider West and East Africa. It is just 40 minutes away from Mumbai by flight.
•The Duqm Port is also designated as the largest deep-sea port in the Indian Ocean.
•India had sought interest in gaining access to facilities of the port amid Chinese Navy's increased activity in the western part of the Indian Ocean region.
India and Oman had signed a total of 8 MoUs during PM Modi's visit to Oman on February 11, 2018 to expand cooperation in different sectors including defence and tourism. The agreements included provision of facilities for Indian military vessels to visit Duqm Port in terms of service and dry dock use.
Significance
At the end of PM Modi's visit to the Sultnate, the two nations had issued a joint statement saying that they have agreed to strengthen cooperation to strengthen maritime security in the Gulf and Indian Ocean Territory, which ia essential to the security and prosperity of both countries.
India-Oman Defence Relations•Oman was the first Gulf nation to establish formal defence relations with India. The two nations signed their first defence agreement in 2006 after conducting joint military exercises. •The defence cooperation between the two nations was further stepped up after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Oman in 2008. •The Indian Navy has berthing rights in Oman and has been utilising Oman's ports as bases for conducting anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. •The Indian Air Force also holds biannual joint exercises with the Royal Air Force of Oman since 2009. •Oman currently provides anchors for India in the Persian Gulf and eastern and southern Africa. •India and Oman's military ties developed largely under the late Omani Sultan, Qaboos bin Said Al Said. •The relations between the two nations have received further boost in the last couple of years with more agreements being signed. •India is currently considering setting up a defense production facility in Oman. |
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