Courtesy: Gateway House
India and Oman signed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on December 18, 2025. The agreement reflects India’s approach to engaging with trusted partners while rediscovering its historic trading ties. Ambassador Anil Wadhwa explains what CEPA means for India: it is less about becoming a global gateway and more about anchoring a strategic economic partnership in a geopolitically sensitive region.
In December, India and Oman signed a Free Trade Agreement – a formalisation of exchanges which are, in fact, two hundred years old. These were led by the Indian merchant diasporas, especially the Bhatia, Bohra, Khoja, Khimji and Jain communities, which used Omani-controlled maritime networks to link Bombay with East Africa. These networks still endure, and among the oldest, strongest, and culturally richest are the Bombay-Oman-East Africa connections.
Courtesy: The Independent News & Media
The Indian diaspora has played a significant role in deepening the country's engagement with the Indo-Pacific nations. India can leverage this soft diplomacy to play a constructive role in the region.
Rajrishi Singhal, Senior geoeconomics fellow, Gateway House, comments on the renewed interest in the Oman-India gas pipeline as New Delhi looks at tapping multiple sources of natural gas to feed its growing economy
.png)
