New Delhi – Negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and Oman, officially referred to as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which began in 2023, have concluded.

“India-Oman CEPA negotiations have concluded,” India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) in a written reply this week in response to a question from Congress Party member Jebi Mather Hisham regarding India’s trade agreements.

However, the minister did not specify any date or timeline for the signing ceremony of the agreement.

Oman is India’s third-largest export destination among the GCC countries. India already has a similar agreement in place with another GCC member, the United Arab Emirates, which came into effect in May 2022.

India’s key imports from Oman include petroleum products and urea, which together account for over 70% of total imports. Other significant imports include polymers of propylene and ethylene, petroleum coke, gypsum, chemicals, and iron and steel.

The two countries are strategic partners. Bilateral trade and investments have expanded significantly since diplomatic relations were established in 1955, which were upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008.

In his reply, Prasada also outlined India’s progress in strengthening trade ties over the past five years, noting that five major FTAs had been signed and several more under negotiation.

The agreements concluded in the last five years include the India–Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) implemented in 2021; the India–UAE CEPA and the India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022; the India–European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024; and the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) signed in 2025 but yet to come into force.

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