In order to expand its footprint in the Indian Ocean region and counter Chinese influence, New Delhi is reinvigorating its ties with Oman where it has secured access to the key port of Duqm for military and logistical support purposes.
The government is rolling out the red carpet for Oman’s top defense official, Mohammed Nasser Al Zaabi, who will be in India from January 30 to February 4 for an official visit. Al Zaabi, secretary general of the Sultanate of Oman’s defense ministry, is the chief executive of the Omani defense establishment, with the office of minister held by Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Shihab.
Zaabi will be in New Delhi to co-chair the Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMMC) with Defense Secretary Ajay Kumar. The JMCC, the highest forum for engagement between India and Oman in the field of defence, assesses and provides guidance on the overall framework for defense exchanges between the two sides. It was scheduled to meet every year, but could not be organized after 2018, when the 9th JMCC meeting was held in Oman. After a three-year hiatus, the 10th JMCC is expected to thoroughly assess ongoing defense exchanges and provide a roadmap for further strengthening defense ties in the years to come. India gained access to Duqm as part of its maritime strategy to counter Chinese influence and activities in the region. This was one of the key takeaways from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oman in February 2018. Work is underway to operationalize access through a compact.
On the sidelines of the JMCC, Zaabi is expected to visit Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and will also be briefed on India’s defense production industry for possible procurement and joint production.
His visit will be followed by a series of defense engagements in February which will include back-to-back visits to India by the Chief of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) and the Chief of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), staff talks between the Indian Navy and CRNO, and a bilateral Air Force exercise in Jodhpur.
Oman is the only country in the Gulf region with which the three services of the Indian Armed Forces conduct regular bilateral exercises and staff talks. Oman also provides essential operational support to Indian naval deployments in the Arabian Sea for anti-piracy missions.
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