Visit of Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar to Oman

Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Chief of the Indian Navy, visited Oman from July 31 to August 2 for a three-day official visit, aiming to reinforce the current bilateral defense relations and conduct high-level discussions with the Omani military leadership.

During his visit, Admiral R Hari Kumar met with Lieutenant-General Sultan bin Mohammed Al Numani, Minister of the Royal Office of the Sultanate of Oman, and held bilateral discussions with his counterpart, Rear Admiral Saif bin Nasser bin Mohsen Al Numani.

• Additionally, he also met with Rahabi, Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO), and Major General Matar bin Salim bin Rashid Al Balushi, Commander of the Royal Army of Oman, as reported by the Ministry of Defence.

• Admiral R Hari Kumar's itinerary also included visits to major defense and training establishments in Oman.

Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX):

• As part of the visit, the Indian Navy's indigenously designed guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, arrived at Port Sultan Qaboos, Muscat, on 30th July. Various naval cooperation events were conducted with the Royal Navy of Oman, culminating in the Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) on 3rd August.

• The Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have an established cooperation, engaging in various foreign cooperation activities, including joint operations, training, and exchange of subject matter experts in different fields.

• The bilateral naval exercise Naseem Al Bahr has been regularly organized between the two countries since 1993, with the last edition held in Oman in 2022, and the upcoming edition scheduled for 2024.

Sagar Initiative:

• Furthermore, both navies actively participate in multilateral formations like the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).

• The relationship between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman aligns with India's strategic vision of 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' (SAGAR), launched in 2015.

• Under this initiative, India seeks to strengthen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbors and assist in enhancing their maritime security capabilities.

Oman:

• Capital: Muscat
• Currency: Omani Rial
• Sultan: Hitam bin Tariq Al Said