Oman Foreign Minister on two day visit to Delhi

New Delhi : Reaching out to the new government, Oman's Minister for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah will arrive here on Tuesday, in the first visit by any foreign dignitary to India after the Narendra Modi-led

dispensation came to power.

Abdullah's two-day visit here is to congratulate the new leadership on behalf of Oman government. He will hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on a range of bilateral, regional and other issues of mutual interests.

Oman is an important trading partner of India in the Gulf region with bilateral trade exceeding USD 5.70 billion in 2013-14. There are over 50 Indo-Oman joint ventures in Oman.

India and Oman are also engaged in defence cooperation with institutionalised naval exercise 'Sea Breeze and Naseem-Al-Bahr' and Air Exercise 'Eastern Bridge and Al Jisr Al Sharqi'.

Oman and India are also cooperating in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Of the total population of Oman of 4 million, expatriates constitute 1.77 million and Indians with 700,000 are the largest expatriate community.

The contribution of over 700,000 strong Indian community in the progress and development of Oman is well acknowledged and appreciated.

The remittances from Oman to India are annually estimated USD 3 billion.

Abdullah had paid an official visit to India on February 28.