New Delhi, India – Negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA), officially referred to as the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), between India and Oman – which began in 2023 – have been concluded.

“India–Oman CEPA negotiations have been concluded,” India’s Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, informed the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) in a written reply this week, responding to a question from Congress member Jebi Mather Hisham regarding India’s trade agreements.

India and Oman share a long-standing history of friendship and cooperation, founded on mutual trust and respect, with strong people-to-people links stretching back centuries. The two countries are strategic partners, and bilateral trade and investment have expanded significantly since diplomatic relations were established in 1955, which were upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008.

The minister, however, did not specify any date or timeline for the signing ceremony of the India–Oman CEPA.

In his reply, Prasada also outlined India’s progress in strengthening trade ties over the past five years, noting that five major FTAs had been signed, with several more under negotiation.

The agreements concluded in the past five years include the India–Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA), implemented in 2021; the India–UAE CEPA and the India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) in 2022; the India–European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA) in 2024; and the India–UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), signed in 2025 but yet to come into force.

The India–EFTA TEPA is expected to be implemented later this year, once all parties complete their ratification processes.

Meanwhile, India is engaged in negotiations on several other trade deals, including the India–EU FTA, the India–Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), the India–Sri Lanka Economic and Technology Cooperation Agreement, the India–Peru FTA, the India–Chile CEPA, the India–New Zealand FTA, and a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.

ANI