Oman is often seen as part of the Middle East, or the Gulf. But we are also close neighbors, part of the Indian Ocean region. We have an Indian Ocean coast and a major Indian Ocean port at Salalah. The common ties of friendship and neighborhood, as well as strong bonds of common heritage are further augmented by shared objectives and unique similarities of social and cultural diversities. Our people have traded with one another for many centuries, and our cultures and societies have incorporated aspects of each other in all kinds of interesting ways. At this particular juncture these shared experiences and this sense of being neighbors has started to become more important. We have long term, strategic interests in regional security, and in the development of free trade based on economic relations that work effectively for the benefit of our people. We are both interested in the potential of regional trade and economic associations as an excellent way of moving forward our economic development in the context of globalisation.

As Oman has been in the early as the 8^th century, as a seafaring nation, today it has stretched its activities to the similar principal of a supportive business environment. Today Oman has a large number of Free Trade agreements such as with U.S Singapore and others. So Oman can certainly work today as a base for the greater involvement of Indian business in the GCC. We already have a significant resident Indian business community, we are ideally located as a gateway to the Gulf. Our legal and constitutional framework is designed to be supportive for business activity, for foreign investment and ownership. I think Indian businesses should think about ways in which Oman can be an entry point or a base for wider commercial operations in the Gulf region, and the government of Oman would welcome and encourage any businesses that wanted to make use of such opportunities.

With the dawn of a new century, giving new dynamism to Indo-Omani relations is an imperative. The challenge before us is to make the exchanges and interaction beneficial to the peoples and the wealth of our relations, as well as commensurate with the potentialities of the two countries, in all fields: scientific, economic, cultural and Many others.

I do hope the information provided by our website about Oman can serve you with the various interests.

Wishing you the best                                

Humaid Al-Maani

Ambassdor