Ambassador’s Speech for Republic Day Reception on 26.02.2020

Your Excellency Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

Distinguished Members of the Omani official delegation,
Excellencies,
Members of the Indian community,
Distinguished Guests,

Good Evening, Namaskar, As-Salaam-Alaikum,

I extend a warm welcome to all of you at this celebration of 71st Republic Day of India.

Greetings to my fellow Indians on this auspicious occasion! I also bring warm greetings from the people and leadership of India for the people and leadership of Oman.

At the outset, I would like to pay tribute to Late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. He will always be remembered in India as a true friend. He played a seminal role in shaping India-Oman strategic partnership. He was a visionary leader who worked tirelessly towards promoting regional peace and stability. We pray for his blessed soul to rest in peace.

On behalf of the Government and people of India, I extend warm greetings to His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik. Our best wishes are with him in leading Oman to continue on the path of peace, progress and prosperity. The leadership in India looks forward to working closely with him in further expanding and strengthening our strategic partnership.

Republic Day is the day when the people of India gave themselves a Constitution that reflected their hopes and aspirations. As we celebrate the 71st Republic Day, we feel proud of India’s achievements. Today, India is the third largest economy in the world in PPP terms. Hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and now enjoy access to health, education and other social benefits. Our achievements in the fields of science, technology, space, nuclear energy, sports and culture are equally impressive. However, India’s journey towards progress and prosperity continues.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the Government has launched a series of initiatives to achieve rapid socio-economic transformation of India. We seek to build a country where basic needs of all citizens will be met. A country that will become the global hub for technology and innovation. A country that seeks development and prosperity of not only its own citizens but of the entire world. Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas. Together, with trust and confidence, we shall prosper – this is our moto.

India is also a land of immense opportunities. As Indian economy grows, it offers huge opportunities not only for the people of India but for the entire world. These were captured in the film we just saw prior to my speech.

Excellencies, friends,

India’s links with Oman go back to thousands of years. Our relationship is old but the warmth and freshness of ties have not diminished. In my one and a half years in Oman, whosoever, I have interacted with, I have felt nothing but friendship and goodwill towards India and Indians. It is this strong people-to-people connect that is at the core of India-Oman relationship. Let me convey to our Omani friends that your feelings are fully shared and reciprocated in India.

In his recent address to the nation, His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik presented his vision for Oman, to make Oman a developed, prosperous and technologically advanced nation where rights and dignity of every individual would be secured. I believe that India can be a reliable partner for Oman in this journey. I would like to highlight few points in support of this assertion:

• First, both India and Oman are strong proponents of peace and harmony. Oman has played a major role in promotion of global peace. India’s engagement with the world is guided by the philosophy of Vasudhev Kutumbakam – the entire world is one family;

• Second, apart from shared values and convergent approaches, we also have common interests. We are maritime neighbors and face common challenges. Our robust defence and security cooperation is a key pillar of the strategic partnership.

• Third, both India and Oman are young nations in terms of demography. Majority of our populations comprise youngsters who aspire for growth and development. We can benefit from each-other’s experiences;

• Fourth, there is a high degree of complementarity between our economies which creates huge potential for growth. Oman’s resources, high-quality infrastructure and  strategic location appeal to Indian businesses. India’s vast market offers huge opportunities for Omani businesses. India can be a reliable partner in Oman’s desire to become a knowledge economy.

Excellencies, friends,

This list is not exhaustive and many more points can be added. I have no doubt in my mind that the future of India-Oman relationship is very bright. A strong India-Oman partnership benefits not only the peoples of India and Oman but is also important for the entire region. We look forward to working closely with His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, his Government and the people of Oman in this endeavor.

I once again thank you all for sparing your valuable time this evening to be with us and for making the celebration a truly memorable one. We are particularly thankful to H.E. Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for gracing the occasion as Chief Guest.

I wish you all an enjoyable evening.

***