The award honors Modi’s role in developing and augmenting bilateral relations from a political, economic, and cultural context since becoming Prime Minister of India. This is Modi’s 29th foreign award from a sovereign country and he is now counted among world leaders like Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Akihito, and Nelson Mandela who have received this award from Oman before him.
PM Narendra Modi Honoured by Sultan of Oman with the ‘Order of Oman’ on Historic Visit
Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, received Oman’s highest civilian award, “The First Class of the Order of Oman,” which is conferred by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, during an official visit to Muscat, Oman, that lasted two days and took place on the 18th of December 2025.
Importance of the Visit
The visit to Oman was a stop on a three-country foreign tour by Modi that included visits to Jordan and Ethiopia. The trip to Oman occurs in a historical year since it is the 70th anniversary of the establishment of relations between India and Oman.
This included government-level interactions with His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, formal discussions for bilateral cooperation, and an address to the Indian community in Muscat at “Maitri Parv”. Modi praised the role of the Indian diaspora in Oman’s development and emphasized joint cultural roots and the need for future cooperation.
Historic Trade Agreement (CEPA/FTA)
One of the greatest accomplishments that emerged from this visit is the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, or CEPA, between India and Oman. This document can be considered the cornerstone for increased trade. This particular CEPA is Oman’s first bilateral trade agreement that has been made since 2006, and it aims to change the nature of economic relations by offering reduced tariffs on both sides.
Under CEPA:
India secures zero-duty access for around 98% of Omani tariff lines, which covers a vast majority of Indian exports.
The concessional tariffs that India provides to Oman include liberalized tariffs for over 77% of Indian tariff lines.
It is expected that this agreement would have beneficial effects on sectors like textiles, gems and jewelry, automobiles, pharma, and renewable energy resources.
The Prime Ministerial observation about the CEPA is apt: the agreement is a ‘blue print for a shared future’.
Enhanced Strategic and Maritime Partnership
Besides the trade component, the bilateral engagement between the two nations has broadened and involves strategic, maritime, and security cooperation. The two countries formulated a Joint Vision Document on Maritime Cooperation, which targets the region’s security, sustainable blue economy projects, and naval cooperation, utilizing Oman’s strategic location near the Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders also discussed cooperation within the important fields of energy, space, agriculture, technology, and education and explored new ways of cooperating and developing.
People-to-People Ties and Cultural Matters
During his trip, Modi interacted actively with the large Indian diaspora in Oman. At the ‘Maitri Parv’ meeting, Modi spoke about the Indian cybertech and space prowess, including the UPI system and space explorations, and exhorted the Indian Omani diaspora to further fortify the cultural tie binding the two nations. Indian students and families felt proud and said the meeting was inspiring and representative of the strong emotional affinity existing between the people of the two nations.
Earlier, Modi also visited a 125-year-old Shiva temple located in the Matrah area of Muscat, thereby establishing India’s civilisational ties and cultural heritage values that exist within the Gulf nations.
Reactions and Wider Implications
In India, senior political leaders, including the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, congratulated the PM on social media platforms, terming the awards an acknowledgment of Modi’s global leadership credentials.
Response and Large-scale Effects
Back in India, leaders such as Amit Shah, Union Home Minister, have congratulated the Prime Minister on social media sites in terms of the award being an acknowledgment of Modi’s role in global leadership. The bestowing of India’s highest civilian honor and the signing of the CEPA usher a new era in India-Oman relations, which not only retain their historical ties of friendship but now have comprehensive strategic cooperation with immense economic potential.
A versatile writer mainly works on trending news, daily updates from politics, business, crime, current affairs and entertainment.
