Modi addresses the Indian community in Oman

Muscat: The visiting Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, addressed the Indian community at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) on Thursday. The event was attended by students representing over 20 Indian schools in the Sultanate of Oman.

He said in his speech, "Today we are all here celebrating the India-Oman Friendship or Maitri Festival."

Maitri, when translated to English, is friendship.

He expanded the Maitri abbreviation to M - Maritime Heritage, A- Aspiration, I for Innovation, T for Trust, and Technology, R for Respect, and I for Inclusive Growth.

'The friendship between our two countries is a celebration of our history and mutual future. India and Oman have had an intimate and vibrant relationship for centuries. The Indian Ocean monsoon has shaped trade between the two countries.'

Oman is home to an Indian community of over 675,000 people, who consider Oman their second home and have made significant contributions to the nation’s development.

He greeted the members of the various Indian communities from the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Telangana, among others.

He added, "Our ancestors used to travel by wooden boats from ports of India to Muscat, Sur, and Salalah. I learned about Oman's participation in the Know India Quiz. More than ten thousand people from Oman participated in this quiz. Oman ranked fourth globally. I am told that around 6,000 students are studying in Indian schools here, and 50 years of Indian education in Oman are being celebrated. This success of Indian schools would not have been possible without the efforts of late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, who donated land and provided necessary support for several Indian schools, including the Indian School Muscat."

He praised His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for the way he supports and protects Indians in the Sultanate of Oman.

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