New Delhi: The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman came into effect on Monday, providing a major boost to bilateral trade and investment. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said the agreement will provide Indian exporters with immediate duty-free access to the Omani market and create new opportunities in services, pharmaceuticals and labour-intensive sectors.
Addressing the launch of the agreement, Goyal said the CEPA would add fresh momentum to India-Oman relations and position Oman as a strategic gateway to the Gulf region, Asia and Africa. Under the agreement, India will secure duty-free access to 98 per cent of Oman’s tariff lines, covering more than 99 per cent of India’s exports to the country.
The minister said that more than 10 consignments from different parts of India had already been shipped to Oman on the first day of implementation, benefiting from preferential duty access.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks in Muscat, Goyal said the CEPA represented a blueprint for the shared future of the two nations and that the vision was already beginning to take shape.
Highlighting Oman’s strategic importance, he said the country serves as a gateway to the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, East Africa and the Indian Ocean economy through key ports such as Sohar, Duqm and Salalah. He added that India also looks forward to increasing imports of products from Oman that can benefit Indian consumers and industries.
According to Goyal, sectors including textiles, sportswear, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, engineering goods, sports equipment, agricultural products, meat, leather, plastics, automobiles and marine products will gain a competitive advantage in the Omani market under the agreement.
In a significant development, Oman has agreed to lift its decades-old ban on the export of unpolished marble, enabling craftsmen and manufacturers in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh to source raw material directly from the Gulf nation.
Beyond merchandise trade, the CEPA includes substantial commitments in services and mobility. It offers enhanced provisions for Indian professionals, including intra-corporate transferees, contractual service suppliers, business visitors and independent professionals seeking temporary entry into Oman.
The healthcare sector is also expected to benefit. Indian generic medicines already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will now receive marketing authorisation in Oman within 90 days, allowing faster access to affordable medicines for Omani patients.
Goyal noted that the India-Oman CEPA is part of India’s broader trade expansion strategy. Over the past three and a half years, India has concluded nine free trade agreements covering 38 developed countries, providing preferential access for goods and services across a significant share of global trade. The government has set a target of achieving USD 2 trillion in exports within the next five years.
Bilateral trade between India and Oman has witnessed steady growth in recent years. During the fiscal year 2025-26, India imported goods worth USD 7.2 billion from Oman, with crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and fertilisers accounting for the bulk of imports.
The minister also revealed that India is currently negotiating trade agreements with Israel, Chile, Canada and the six-member GCC bloc. Discussions have additionally been launched with the Eurasian Economic grouping, which includes Russia and several Central Asian nations, while Mexico and Ecuador have expressed interest in pursuing similar agreements with India.