Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Monday, June 8, 2026, hailed the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) as a historic step for India's textile and handicrafts industry, saying it opens duty-free access across 945 textile categories in Oman with immediate effect and will benefit millions of weavers, artisans, and entrepreneurs.

Context

Posting on X, Giriraj Singh described the India-Oman CEPA as 'नए अवसरों के द्वार खोलने वाला एक ऐतिहासिक कदम' ('a historic step that opens the doors to new opportunities'). He said immediate zero-duty access on 945 textile categories in Oman would sharpen global competitiveness of Indian products, accelerate exports, and deliver direct gains to weavers, craftspeople, and small entrepreneurs.

The minister's remarks signal that the agreement has reached a stage where its textile provisions are operative or imminent, framing it as a flagship outcome of the government's trade diplomacy with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations.

Policy Backdrop

The India-Oman CEPA follows the template set by the India-UAE CEPA, signed in February 2022, which granted duty-free access to over 90 percent of Indian textile lines and became the model for subsequent Gulf deals. India formally launched CEPA negotiations with Oman in 2023 as part of a broader strategy to deepen trade ties across the GCC beyond traditional energy imports.

The textiles push sits squarely within the government's Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 frameworks, which aim to raise manufacturing's share of GDP and position India as a global export hub. Production-linked incentive schemes for textiles complement the market-access gains that CEPA provisions are designed to unlock.

Stakeholders and Impact

India's textile and handicrafts sector is among the country's most labour-intensive industries, employing millions of workers across major clusters in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan. Small and medium exporters, handloom weavers, and handicraft artisans — who have historically struggled to compete on price in Gulf markets against lower-tariff rivals — stand to be the primary beneficiaries of zero-duty access.

Oman is a longstanding trade and energy partner for India in the Gulf, and its market, while smaller than the UAE's, forms part of a wider GCC corridor that Indian exporters are increasingly targeting to diversify away from saturated Western markets.

What's Next

Analysts and industry bodies will closely watch the publication of the full tariff schedule and rules-of-origin provisions, which will determine which product lines and manufacturing processes qualify for the preferential rates. First-quarter export data from major textile clusters after the agreement enters into force will be the earliest concrete measure of on-ground impact.

With similar agreements being pursued with other GCC members, the India-Oman CEPA could serve as a building block for a broader regional trade corridor — one that places Indian textiles and handicrafts at the centre of South-to-Gulf supply chains for years to come.