New DelhiIndia and Oman on Wednesday held the 8th Strategic Dialogue in Delhi, which was led by India’s Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri and Major General Idris Abdulrahman Al-Kindi, Secretary-General of Oman’s National Security Council. The last strategic dialogue was held in Muscat in January 2020.
During the talks, both sides focused on strategic and security cooperation, defense and counter terror, On counter-terror, the main focus of the talks was on expansion of terrorist propaganda, misuse of new and emerging technologies, fundraising and disinformation, and are willing to work with each other on collective and coordinated response.
Another important aspect of the talks was on maintaining maritime safety and security in the region. Oman and India are maritime neighbours, sharing a coastline along the Arabian Sea. Over the years, the two countries have cooperated in ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean region. As part of the cooperation, the first meeting of the Joint Maritime Committee took place virtually on 23 February 2022.
Major General Idris Abdulrahman Al-Kindi also met National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. This is Al-Kindi’s first visit to India after his appointment as the Secretary-General of the NSC of Oman and he was in India from January 16-19. The ninth strategic dialogue between the two sides will be held in 2024.
The visit of the Secretary General of the NSC to Oman is part of a series of high-level engagements between the two sides. V. Muraleedharan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs, visited Oman in October 2022, while Qais bin Mohammed Al Yousef, Minister of Commerce of Oman, and Sayyid Badr bin Hamad, Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited India in the same year. New Delhi has invited Oman to participate in the G20 summit and meetings as a guest country during the grouping’s presidency.