Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Monday, June 1, 2026, presided over the ceremony marking the entry into force of the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), alongside Minister of State Jitin Prasada. The event was accompanied by the simultaneous dispatch of multiple export consignments from various parts of India to Oman, benefiting from preferential tariff access under the landmark pact.

Context

The ceremony formalised the operational start of the India-Oman CEPA, a bilateral trade agreement designed to reduce tariffs and expand market access for goods, services, and investments between the two countries. Goyal noted that exporters from across India participated in the inaugural dispatch, signalling early commercial uptake of the agreement's concessions.

Speaking at the event, the minister urged Indian exporters to 'fully leverage the opportunities created by this landmark Agreement by engaging with export facilitation desks.' He also encouraged stakeholders to explore collaboration in food security, co-manufacturing, and green hydrogen, as well as unlocking opportunities in the services sector.

Policy Backdrop

The India-Oman CEPA follows the template established by the India-UAE CEPA, which was signed in February 2022 and entered into force in May 2022 — the first such agreement India concluded with a Gulf country in the modern era. Oman, a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has long been a significant trade and energy partner for India, with established logistics and diaspora links.

India's accelerated pursuit of CEPAs with Gulf nations reflects a broader strategy to diversify export markets and secure preferential access for labour-intensive sectors, including textiles, engineering goods, and processed foods. The emphasis on green hydrogen signals India's intent to use bilateral frameworks to anchor itself in the Gulf's emerging clean-energy supply chains.

Stakeholders and Impact

Indian MSMEs and larger exporters stand to gain most immediately from reduced tariffs on goods entering Oman. Export facilitation desks — referenced by Goyal in his address — are positioned as the primary interface for businesses seeking to navigate preferential rules of origin and documentation requirements under the pact.

Beyond goods trade, the minister's call for deeper engagement in food security and co-manufacturing points to an ambition to embed Indian industry into Gulf value chains, while green hydrogen cooperation could attract Omani sovereign and private capital into Indian production projects. The services sector, a traditional Indian strength, was also highlighted as an underutilised avenue under the agreement.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to early utilisation data — specifically how many exporters activate tariff concessions through the facilitation desks in the weeks following entry into force. Follow-up business forums and bilateral working groups are expected to operationalise the food security and green hydrogen cooperation streams flagged by Goyal.

The India-Oman CEPA adds to a growing network of Indian trade pacts that also includes agreements with Australia and the UAE, as well as ongoing negotiations with other partners. Sustained exporter outreach and streamlined customs procedures will be critical to translating the agreement's preferential terms into measurable trade gains.