The India’s ambassador to the Sultanate, Indra Mani Pandey in a speech at the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Vastram -Splendid World of Indian Textiles’ said that textiles are an important part of India’s exports to the Sultanate, hence India absolutely welcomes Omani investments in India’s textile sector, which is the second largest employer in that country, offering direct employment to around 35 million people and indirect employment to millions more.

Highlighting the diversity of Indian textiles in terms of production, material and the processes involved, he said that the purpose of the exhibition is to showcase this diversity to the people of Oman and the Indian community.

Oman is a maritime neighbour of India and people-to-people relations and exchanges for centuries have been a key enabling factor in the evolution of India’s historical ties with Oman. As the tourism between the two countries is growing, there is a growing mutual awareness of diverse cultures of India and Oman, Pandey said.

The Ambassador further added that recently, there was Oman-India Investment Meet and in two months’ time, they are going to organise another investors’ meet. They very much welcome Omani companies to go and invest in India, and they are ready to facilitate it.

Regarding the Indian-Omani joint ventures involved in the textile industry, Pandey said that there are 1,500 joint ventures between the two countries and there must be many textile-oriented ones among them. There is one which is being created in Salalah.

Mohamed Al Riyami, former assistant to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said’s adviser at the Ministry of Information, also encouraged Omani companies to invest in the textile sector in India.

He said that the Omani investors should go to India and invest but get these items into Oman and put them for sale in Oman.

Al Riyami said that the exhibition provided a ‘unique experience’ and expressed hope that an exclusive Indian textile exhibition will be held in future, where the items would be put on sale.

India-Oman diplomatic ties are 60 years old, but bilateral cultural and trade relations between the two countries have existed since 5,000 years ago, he said. Oman is going to be a big commercial centre in the Middle East, Al Riyami noted, encouraging more investment from India in various parts of the country.

The exhibition ‘Vastram -Splendid World of Indian Textiles’, featuring more than 30 traditional Indian textiles and a large site-specific installation in three categories of painted/printed, woven/non-woven, embroidery and embellishments.

The collection of Indian Council of Cultural Relations, put together by Shelly Jyoti, an artist, fashion designer and poet, was inaugurated at Oman Avenues Mall on Thursday as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of India-Oman diplomatic ties. The exhibition runs until October 25.