Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held wide-ranging talks with the Sultan of Oman and later the two sides signed eight agreements, including pacts on cooperation in the field of defence, health and tourism.

Modi, who arrived here from Dubai on the last leg of his three-nation tour, led delegation-level talks with Qaboos bin Said al Said and discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in trade and investment, energy, defence, security, food security and regional issues.

Sultan of Oman voiced his appreciation for the appreciation of the expatriation Indian for their contributions to his country’s development during the meeting with PM Modi.

“Sultan Qaboos appreciated the contribution of honest and hard working Indian nationals in the development of Oman,” Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted following the meeting between the two leaders.

Sultan Qaboos appreciated the contribution of honest and hard working Indian nationals in the development of Oman. Eight Agreements/MoUs were also signed during the productive visit. pic.twitter.com/69dA4NIPNb

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 11, 2018

Charting out new frontiers in our bilateral relationship, PM @narendramodi led delegation-level talks with Sultan Qaboos of Oman. The two strategic partners discussed to strengthen cooperation in trade & investment, energy, defence & security, food security and regional issues. pic.twitter.com/KzQtGaHXF8

— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) February 11, 2018

Oman is home to over 800,000 expatriate Indians and Modi, in a community gathering earlier in the day, praised their role in the Gulf country’s development.

Following the meeting between Modi and Sultan Qaboos, eight agreements were signed between India and Oman including an MoU on legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters.

They also signed an agreement on mutual visa exemption for holders of diplomatic, special, service and official passports and an MoU on cooperation in the field of health, tourism and peaceful uses of outer space.

The two countries also signed an agreement on cooperation between Foreign Service Institute, Ministry of External Affairs, India and Omans Diplomatic Institute.

An MoU on academic and scholarly cooperation between National Defence College, Sultanate of Oman and the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

The two sides also signed annexutre to the MoU on military cooperation.

During his two-day visit, Modi will also meet Deputy Prime Minister for the Council of Ministers Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud Al Said and Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs Sayyid Asaad bin Tariq Al Said.

(With agencies inputs)