Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane Co-chairs the 12th India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee meeting at Muscat
India and Oman officially endorsed an agreement establishing a framework for enhanced cooperation in new areas of defence cooperation, including procurement of military equipment. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed during an India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC) session held in Muscat. The discussions involved a thorough assessment of their existing defence collaboration, focusing on identifying avenues to strengthen it further in alignment with their mutual strategic interests.
During the meeting, particular attention was directed towards potential collaboration in the defence industrial sector. Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane led the Indian delegation at the talks. Notably, the discussions assessed the broader situation in West Asia, highlighting security issues stemming from the targeting of cargo vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. The Defence Ministry, in a statement, conveyed that both sides conducted a thorough review and expressed appreciation for the strong defencecooperation between India and Oman.
The meeting explored various avenues for collaboration, including training, joint exercises, information sharing, oceanography, shipbuilding, maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) facilities. These initiatives aim to foster mutual trust and enhance interoperability between the military forces of both nations.
“They also exchanged views on regional and global issues of shared interest. Both sides discussed effective and practical initiatives to further boost bilateral defenceengagements with a focus on defence industries collaboration,” the Ministry said in a statement.
The sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to procure defence materials and equipment. This agreement establishes a framework for expanding defencecollaboration into new domains. The MoU was formalisedslightly more than a month after India and Oman revealed a joint vision document titled ‘A Partnership for the Future,’ adopted during the visit of Oman’s Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik to India in December. Giridhar Aramane also engaged in bilateral discussions in Muscat with Mohammed Bin Naseer Bin Ali Al Zaabi, the Secretary General of Oman’s Defence Ministry.
“During the talks, Giridhar Aramane highlighted the potential of the domestic defence industry with capacityand capability and looked forward to a fruitful partnership with the armed forces of Oman,” the statement said.
The statement is an indicator of the Omani confidence in the capability of the Indian defence industry. Aramaneextended an invitation to the Omani Secretary General and his delegation to visit India, emphasising the opportunity to observe India’s defence industrial capabilities, particularly in the aerospace and maritime sectors.
Oman is one of India’s most significant defence allies in the Gulf region, with defence cooperation as a pivotal element of the strategic partnership between the two nations. “The two countries are committed to work under the vision of strategic partnership,” the statement stated.
Team BharatShakti
