India-Oman free trade pact kicks in, opens duty-free access for 99% exports

Key points

• New Delhi: The India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) came into force on Monday, granting duty-free access to most of India's exports to the Gulf country and marking a major milestone in bilateral economic ties.
• The agreement, signed in Muscat on 18 December 2025, took effect after both countries completed their internal procedures.
• India's commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and Oman's ambassador to India Issa Saleh Al Shibani marked the occasion by flagging off the first consignments availing preferential tariff benefits under the pact, including agriculture and gems and jewellery exports from Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.
• The agreement provides duty-free access for 99.38% of India's exports by value on 98.08% of Oman's tariff lines, the commerce ministry said in a statement.
• Before the CEPA, only 15.33% of Indian exports entered Oman duty-free under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime.