Oman-India Forum Reveals CEPA Benefits!
Discover how the new Oman-India business forum will highlight CEPA trade benefits and professional mobility expansion.
The Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI) will host the Oman-India Business Forum on September 9, 2026, at The St. Regis in Muscat. The event aims to implement the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), which officially entered into force on June 1, 2026, following its signing in Muscat on December 18, 2025, and ratification via Royal Decree No. 30/2026. According to the Indian Embassy in Muscat, bilateral trade between the two nations reached approximately US$11.187 billion in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Intra-Corporate Transferees and Staff Mobility
A primary focus of the forum is the CEPA provision for intra-corporate transferees. As per the Indian Commerce Department's 2025-26 Annual Report, Oman has increased the permissible ceiling for Indian companies' intra-corporate transferees from 20% to 50%. This allows Indian-linked entities in Oman to deploy a larger portion of their managerial, specialist, and technical staff from India, subject to Omani labour, immigration, and sectoral regulations. While this does not grant automatic work visas or bypass local Omanisation requirements, it creates a formal mobility window for skilled personnel.
Contractual Service Suppliers and Foreign Ownership
Furthermore, the CEPA agreement extends the permitted stay for contractual service suppliers from 90 days to two years, with an option for an additional two-year extension. This provision is designed to support specialists in sectors including accounting, taxation, architecture, engineering, healthcare, technology, and construction. The forum will also provide guidance on the framework allowing up to 100% foreign ownership in certain key service sectors, though eligibility remains dependent on specific regulations and licensing authorities. Priority sectors identified for discussion include logistics, manufacturing, food security, mining, tourism, information technology, and renewable energy.
Indian Community and Workforce Data in Oman
Data from the Indian Embassy in Muscat indicates that as of May 2026, there were 526,496 Indian nationals on work visas out of a total Indian population of approximately 674,950 in Oman. These workers include significant numbers of doctors, engineers, chartered accountants, teachers, lecturers, nurses, and managers who stand to benefit from the enhanced professional mobility commitments established under the agreement.