This article covers defence, maritime and security cooperation between India and Oman: the dialogue mechanisms, joint exercises, naval and coast guard contacts, defence industry links, and agreements on security and legal cooperation. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of July 2026.

The place of defence in the partnership

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, Oman is one of India's closest defence partners in the Gulf region, and defence cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of the strategic partnership. The brief notes that India has the highest number of Defence MoUs with Oman, compared with any country in West Asia. The brief lists Military Cooperation and Maritime Issues among the areas covered by key bilateral agreements, and records an MoU for cooperation between Oman's National Defence College (NDC) and the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) of India.

Dialogue mechanisms

Shri Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Advisor, visited Oman on 26-27 February 2024 for the 9th round of the India-Oman Strategic Dialogue. The 10th edition was held in New Delhi on 27 February 2025, co-chaired by Shri Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor, and Major General Idris Abdulrahman Al-Kindi, Secretary General of the National Security Council of the Sultanate of Oman.

Shri Giridhar Aramane, Defence Secretary, visited Oman on 30-31 January 2024 to hold the 12th meeting of the India-Oman Joint Military Cooperation Committee (JMCC). The 13th edition was held in New Delhi on 24 November 2025, co-chaired by Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh and Dr Mohammed bin Nasser Al Za'abi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence of Oman, who was in India from 23-24 November 2025.

Staff Talks at the Service level, and an apex-level High Level Meeting between the Coast Guards of the two countries, are held annually.

Joint exercises

The brief states that Oman is the only Gulf country with which all three Services of India's Armed Forces hold joint exercises every two years. The most recent editions recorded in the brief are:

  • the 14th edition of the naval exercise "Naseem Al-Bahr", off Goa from 13 to 18 October 2024
  • the 7th edition of the air force exercise "Eastern Bridge", in Masirah, Oman from 12 to 22 September 2024
  • the 5th edition of the army exercise "Al-Najah", in Oman from 12 to 26 September 2024

The brief says the next editions of all three exercises are planned for mid or end 2026.

The brief states that ports in Oman have emerged as critical enablers for the Indian Navy's regional deployments, supporting regular OTRs of warships on maritime security missions in the Western Indian Ocean. A Joint Maritime Vision Document was among the documents signed during the Prime Minister's visit to Oman in December 2025.

Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff, led a delegation to Oman from 30 July to 03 August 2023. The brief also records a visit to Oman by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, which it dates "January 26", when INSV Kaundinya, on her maiden sea voyage, was deployed in Muscat.

The 6th High Level Meeting between the Indian Coast Guard and the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard was held in Muscat on 29-30 April 2025. The Indian delegation was led by Director General S Paramesh, DG ICG, and the Royal Oman Police Coast Guard was represented by its Commander, Colonel Abdul Aziz Al Jabari.

Defence industry

The first ever India-Oman Defence Industrial Seminar was held in Muscat on 24 September 2023, and the brief says a second edition is planned for the end of 2026. The two countries also collaborate in shipbuilding and in Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) activities.

Omani defence delegations have attended Aero India. H.E. Dr. Mohammed bin Nasser Al Za'abi, Secretary General of the Ministry of Defence, led a delegation to Aero India 2023 from 12 to 15 February 2023. Major General Pilot Khamis bin Hammad Al Ghafri, Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman, led a delegation to Aero India 2025 from 09-11 February 2025.

Earlier defence and security visits

Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, then Minister Responsible for Defence Affairs, visited India in September 2018. Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India, paid an official visit to Oman on 25-27 June 2023.

During the State visit of Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik in December 2023, the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of India and Oman's National Center for Financial Information (FNCI) signed an MoU on intelligence exchange related to money laundering, associated predicate offenses and terrorism financing.

The brief also lists bilateral agreements on Legal and Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters, on Extradition, and on legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters.