logo
Oman-India business meeting explores investment options

Oman-India business meeting explores investment options

Zawya27-03-2025
Muscat – The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI), in collaboration with the Indian Economic Trade Organisation, hosted the Omani-Indian Businessmen's meeting on Tuesday, focusing on strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two nations.
Business leaders from both the countries exchanged expertise and explored investment opportunities in key sectors, including renewable energy, oil and gas, fisheries and aquaculture, industry, trade, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and human resources. The event aimed to foster strategic partnerships that drive sustainable development.
Faisal bin Abdullah al Rawas, Chairman of OCCI, said that the meeting aligns with the chamber's ongoing efforts to enhance private-sector collaboration between Oman and India.
He highlighted the significance of such gatherings in identifying new avenues for cooperation and maximising emerging economic opportunities.
'Omani-Indian economic relations have witnessed remarkable growth in recent years, with forums and business meetings playing a pivotal role in deepening cooperation and uncovering investment prospects,' Rawas stated. He stressed that bilateral engagements between business leaders pave the way for stronger trade relations, new partnerships and the exchange of expertise.
The meeting featured bilateral discussions aimed at strengthening trade and investment ties, with a focus on high-potential sectors central to sustainable development.
'Let us work together to transform these opportunities into productive partnerships and impactful projects,' Rawas added.
On the sidelines, Rawas met with the Indian delegation led by Oscar Kerketta, Chairman of the Energy Committee of the Indian Economic Trade Organisation. Their discussions centred on enhancing collaboration in key strategic sectors and expanding trade and investment relations.
The event also marked the launch of a book highlighting the historical, economic, and diplomatic ties between Oman and India, commemorating the 70th anniversary of bilateral relations.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Fascism and impunity behind Israel and India's latest economic agreement, experts say
Fascism and impunity behind Israel and India's latest economic agreement, experts say

Middle East Eye

time14 hours ago

  • Middle East Eye

Fascism and impunity behind Israel and India's latest economic agreement, experts say

Israel and India's decision to finalise an investment protection deal is aimed at reinforcing both countries' fascist policies and providing impunity for each other, experts have said. Earlier this week, the Israeli government said it was finalising an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) with India that aims to offset the perceived risk of investing in each other's countries in light of rising insecurity. Several experts and human rights activists told Middle East Eye that the agreement was an attempt to assuage low investor confidence and also provide material cover for Israel's war on Gaza. "Under the cover of an investment relationship - one which will surely bear lethal consequences for the marginalised in both places - India and Israel will grant impunity to each other for their illegal and discriminatory activities," an Indian-American organiser based in Boston, told MEE. "This move ensures that both countries will immensely profit off of the growth of their own fascist ideologies. This is terrifying," the activist, who asked to remain anonymous over fear of reprisals, said. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Speaking at the announcement of the potential IPA deal on Tuesday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich described the deepening economic ties as one of the "goals" he had set out to achieve as minister, a move observers note has been met with committed reciprocity from Delhi. "Deepening economic ties with India is one of the goals I have set," Smotrich said, before describing India as a "true friend of Israel". Abdulla Moaswes, a Palestinian writer and academic based in the UK, told MEE that the Indian government deliberately used burgeoning economic ties with Israel to project "diplomatic victories to its voter base, amongst whom support for Israel is a popular sentiment". Moaswes said the support for Israel was driven by the Indian ruling party, the BJP's, fascination with Zionism, adding that New Delhi had correctly presumed that continued support for Israel would serve it far more with its constituency than condemning the ongoing war in Gaza, which scholars and international rights bodies have labelled a genocide. 'We demand the Indian government... join the international community to hold the Netanyahu government accountable' - Meera Sanghamitra, NAPM Under Narendra Modi, India has been inching ever closer to a Hindu Rashtra, or a Hindu State, in which Hindus enjoy supremacy over other groups. Muslims and Christians are the focus of attacks and are made to feel as if they are second-class citizens. Meanwhile, large portions of civil society have been dismantled, with dissenting voices in the media repeatedly targeted. Meera Sanghamitra, a national convenor for the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), told MEE that India's deepening relationship with Israel was especially "shameful" given Delhi's decision to abstain from a United Nations-backed resolution last month that called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. "Beyond the shameful vote abstention at the UNGA [in June 2025], the current regime's moves to deepen diplomatic and business ties with a genocidal nation is morally reprehensible," Sanghamitra said. "We demand the Indian government not to clinch the investment protection agreement with Israel and instead join the international community to hold the Netanyahu government accountable for all its war crimes," she added. Israel's economy reels The timing of the IPA announcement comes as Israel's economy continues to reel following its government's decision to launch multiple wars across the Middle East. Earlier this year, Israel's government decided to increase military spending by 21 percent from the previous year, despite the economy growing by just 0.9 percent in 2024. Investors appear to have been spooked by the exorbitant government spending, and the temporary suspension of shipping behemoth Maersk's operations at Haifa Port also hasn't helped. The halting of operations struck at the heart of Israel's logistics and supply chain sector. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, for instance, controls the majority stake at Haifa Port, and is part of the larger India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, which remains of strategic importance to both countries. An Indian builder works at a construction site in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv, on 15 December 2024 (Menahem Kahana/AFP) Whilst India has projected itself as pro-Palestine for several decades, Delhi has long had secret military relations with Israel, importing weapons into India since the early 1960s. India officially normalised ties with Israel in 1992, with military relations soon emerging as the bedrock of the relationship. Outside the diamond trade, economic relations between the two countries are estimated at around $4.7bn annually, with India now projected as Israel's sixth-largest trading partner. About one-third of the trade between the two countries is said to be in business services. Crucially, India is also the largest importer of Israeli weapons and therefore an important sustainer of Israel's military-industrial complex. Over the past seven years, Delhi has also looked to co-produce Israeli weapons in India itself. Moaswes said that India's continued support for Israel should be read as an effort to further entrench its own policies in Indian-controlled Kashmir, as well as over Indian Muslims. "To this end, India's courting of more Israeli investment by signing an investment protection agreement on top of the policies of the BJP's flagship 'Make in India' campaign should be understood as a continuation of the process of building mutual reliance between the two states," Moaswes said. For nearly two years, activists in India have been calling on India to alter its relationship with Israel, after it was discovered that Delhi had sent combat drones as well as an AI weapons system in aid of the war effort. Union leaders also urged the Indian government to drop a plan to send thousands of Indian workers to replace Palestinians in Israel's construction industry. But Delhi has shown no indication of bending to demands, describing arms contracts with Israel to be in "the national interest". Meanwhile, economic ties between the two countries have continued to rise. In February, Israel's economy minister, Nir Barkat, visited India with a high-level Israeli business delegation, including Israeli enterprises and representatives from the technology, manufacturing, healthcare, agri-tech, food processing, defence, homeland security, water management, logistics, and retail sectors. In a statement issued before the meeting, the Indian government said both countries held a "shared commitment to technological advancement, innovation, and entrepreneurship makes them natural economic allies". Over the past few months, several Israeli think tanks have been browbeating what they call Israel's move to the east, as fractures with western publics continue to broaden. With university students in western capitals calling for a boycott of Israeli institutions, Israeli universities have leaned into new partnerships with Indian universities in an effort to diversify partnerships and Indian expertise in information technology and engineering. Concomitant to its financial deals, the Indian government has also looked to crush rising dissent over its pro-Israeli policies. In June, demonstrators in Delhi were beaten by Indian police as they looked to protest against Israel's attack on the Freedom Flotilla, featuring several prominent activists, including Greta Thunberg. "It has violently suppressed pro-Palestine protest and speech and has continued to espouse a discourse suggesting that India, the US, and Israel are fighting three fronts of the same war against a global or transnational Muslim enemy," Moaswes said. India's burgeoning ties with Israel were brought into the spotlight during Delhi's war with Pakistan in May, with India turning to Israeli combat drones during the conflict. "For those of us who care about this, we must treat the India-Israel alliance as the natural next step in the consolidation of ethno-nationalist military states worldwide, and commit to taking our struggle beyond borders," the Indian-American activist said. "As an enormous weapons trade partner of Israel, India has made it clear that any foreign policy coming out of Delhi reflects a vested interest in the global military-industrial complex," the activist added.

Musk's Tesla marks formal India entry with Mumbai launch event on July 15
Musk's Tesla marks formal India entry with Mumbai launch event on July 15

Gulf Today

timea day ago

  • Gulf Today

Musk's Tesla marks formal India entry with Mumbai launch event on July 15

Tesla will open its first India showroom in Mumbai next week, having imported $1 million worth of cars and merchandise, marking its entry into the world's third-largest car market despite CEO Elon Musk's complaints about high import tariffs. In an invitation to media late on Thursday, the carmaker said the July 15 event was the "launch of Tesla in India through the opening of the Tesla experience centre at Bandra Kurla Complex," located in the city's leading commercial business district. Grappling with excess manufacturing capacity at its other factories and falling sales, Tesla has pivoted to selling imported cars in India on which it will need to pay about 70% import duty and other levies. Commercially available custom records from January to June showed Tesla imported vehicles, chargers and accessories into India worth close to $1 million, mainly from China and the United States. The vehicles included six of Tesla's best-selling Model Y at a shipment value of $32,500 each for five cars, and $46,000 for the long-range version, as well as several Superchargers. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has for years wooed Tesla, including forming a new policy to attract the carmaker to build its EVs locally. Last year, Musk had planned to visit India where he was expected to announce an investment of $2 billion-$3 billion, including in local EV manufacturing. But he cancelled the trip at the last moment. Tesla has conveyed it is not interested in manufacturing in India at the moment. US President Donald Trump has said that if Tesla were to build a factory in India to circumvent that country's tariffs, it would be "unfair" to the US." Tesla has hired for several of the three dozen positions it advertised in India earlier this year, bringing on board store managers, sales and service executives. It is looking for supply chain engineers and vehicle operators for its autopilot ambitions.

Starlink Clears Final Regulatory Barrier in India
Starlink Clears Final Regulatory Barrier in India

Arabian Post

time3 days ago

  • Arabian Post

Starlink Clears Final Regulatory Barrier in India

Elon Musk's satellite‑internet venture has obtained its space regulator's final approval to launch commercial services, removing the only remaining legal obstacle after securing a telecom licence last month. This paves the way for Starlink to become the third satellite broadband operator in India, alongside Eutelsat‑OneWeb and Reliance Jio‑SES. The Department of Telecommunications issued Starlink the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite permit in early June, marking a pivotal step towards nationwide commercial deployment. Space regulator IN‑SPACe has now finalised its authorisation—pending Starlink's formal acceptance and countersignature—bringing the company on par with its established rivals. Starlink must still secure dedicated spectrum, construct ground infrastructure, and complete stringent security trials before service can commence. Officials indicate the spectrum will be allocated administratively rather than via auction, aligning with Starlink's position over competing demands that included those from Reliance Jio. ADVERTISEMENT The security evaluation phase remains critical. Indian authorities have insisted that all satellite‑based traffic must transit through domestic gateways and comply with legal interception protocols. Supply chain localisation and gateway siting near international borders will also be mandated. Past concerns over unauthorised Starlink usage in border regions prompted increased scrutiny by the ministry of home affairs and Department of Telecommunications earlier this year. Starlink joins an increasingly competitive satellite broadband landscape. Eutelsat‑OneWeb received its GMPCS licence in August 2021 and full permissions in late 2023, while Jio‑SES obtained its telecom licence in March 2022 and space clearance by mid‑2024. Meanwhile, Amazon's Project Kuiper awaits its approvals. Local telecom giants are now preparing partnerships with satellite providers to enhance connectivity. Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio signed pacts with Starlink earlier this year to deliver broadband across remote regions once authorisations were finalised. These alliances reflect a broader push by India to extend digital infrastructure to underserved rural and mountainous communities, where roughly 40 percent of the population remains without reliable internet access. Starlink's global network now spans over 6,750 satellites and serves diverse markets from Antarctica to developing Asia. In India, the company faces challenges adapting to the country's famously low data prices, with mobile rates among the world's cheapest. Each operator must also comply with provisions demanding indigenisation of at least 20 percent of ground infrastructure and multilayered security approval regimes. As New Delhi aligns satellite spectrum policy—including assigning bandwidth for five‑year terms at a fee capped at 4 percent of adjusted gross revenue—operators will negotiate additional urban or rural levies and infrastructure contributions. Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's consultations with SpaceX executives signal sustained governmental interest in leveraging satellite technologies to bolster India's digital ambitions. Starlink's entry marks a significant shift in India's telecom ecosystem. It promises to elevate broadband penetration in neglected geographies while testing the resilience of India's stringent regulatory and security frameworks. The speed at which Starlink secures spectrum, builds its ground presence, and satisfies national interception mandates will determine how soon millions of users beyond urban centres experience high-speed satellite internet.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store