Oman and India sign defence cooperation pact

Muscat: India and Oman signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation on Tuesday in New Delhi.

"The areas of cooperation include exchange of expertise in military training and IT, utilisation of military and educational courses and programmes, exchange of observers attending military exercises and exchange of formal visits," said an Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) press release issued yesterday in Muscat by the Indian Embassy.

The other areas of cooperation include providing assistance in identifying technical specifications of military equipment to facilitate direct agreement with manufacturing companies of both countries.

The agreement also includes maintaining quality assurance by MOD for contracts signed within the framework of the MoU and collaboration in other mutually agreed spheres of defence cooperation.

The MoU was signed by the Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs of Oman, Saeed Badr Bin Saud Bin Hareb Al Busaidi, and the Defence Minister of India, Pranab Mukherjee. The upcoming Oman-India Fertiliser Company is India's largest joint venture abroad.