Daijiworld Media Network - Muscat
Muscat, Jun 26: India's newly appointed Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, formally presented his credentials to Oman's Foreign Minister, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi, during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' General Diwan on Friday.
Welcoming the Indian envoy, the Omani Foreign Minister conveyed his best wishes for a successful tenure and expressed confidence that relations between the two countries would continue to deepen.
In a statement shared on social media platform X, Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sayyid Badr received a copy of Ambassador Pise's credentials and wished him success in discharging his responsibilities while hoping that the longstanding friendship between India and Oman would achieve greater progress and prosperity.
The ceremony was attended by senior Omani officials, including Ambassador Sheikh Ahmed bin Hashil Al Muskyri, Head of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Regional Neighbourhood Department, Ambassador Naguib bin Yahya Al Balushi, Head of the Protocol Department, along with other representatives from both sides.
Prashant Pise assumed charge as India's Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman on June 14. Before taking up the assignment in Muscat, he served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, where he was responsible for emigration policy as well as matters relating to migration and international mobility.
Soon after assuming office, Ambassador Pise paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at the Embassy of India in Muscat. Sharing photographs of the occasion, the Indian Embassy described the gesture as a tribute to the enduring ideals of truth, non-violence and moral courage embodied by the Father of the Nation.
The appointment comes at a time when India and Oman continue to strengthen their strategic partnership across political, economic and regional security spheres.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, during which the two leaders discussed the security situation in West Asia and underscored the importance of dialogue and diplomacy to reduce regional tensions and restore peace.
Prime Minister Modi also reiterated India's condemnation of violations of Oman's sovereignty and territorial integrity and appreciated the Sultanate's efforts in facilitating the safe evacuation of thousands of people, including Indian nationals.
Following the conversation, the Prime Minister stated that both countries remain committed to ensuring safe and free navigation through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders' interaction took place amid heightened tensions in West Asia following the conflict triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran's subsequent retaliatory drone and missile attacks targeting US and Israeli facilities and allied positions across the region.
India and Oman share a longstanding relationship rooted in historical, cultural and maritime ties. Diplomatic relations were established in 1955 and elevated to a Strategic Partnership in 2008. Today, Oman remains one of India's key partners in the Gulf region and an important interlocutor within forums such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Arab League and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).