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India, UK unveil new initiatives on maritime security, key minerals

India and UK launch initiatives on maritime security and critical minerals. Vision 2035 guides partnership for global good and economic growth.

India, UK deepen cooperation on critical minerals, maritime security

India, UK deepen cooperation on critical minerals, maritime security

India, UK launch initiatives for minerals, maritime cooperation

India and the UK have launched a Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory and signed an MoU for a Regional Maritime Security Centre of Excellence during UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper's visit. The two nations also reviewed progress in trade, technology, and defense, aiming to strengthen their future-oriented partnership.

Water metro for Kolkata, separate shipping division likely: Bengal CM Suvendu Adhikari

Suvendu Adhikari said Bengal was keen to strengthen maritime infrastructure and inland water transport and was examining structural reforms to boost the sector.

‘Forward-looking highway’: India, UK seal maritime, crucial mineral pacts

External affairs minister S Jaishankar and his British counterpart Yvette Cooper reviewed security and economic cooperation and discussed the fallout of the West Asia conflict

Big fleet expansion: Navy to add 4 made-in-India warships, one survey vessel this month

The Indian Navy is set to significantly expand its fleet this month by inducting five indigenously-built naval platforms. These include two Project 17A stealth frigates, a survey vessel, and two anti-submarine warfare crafts, enhancing maritime security and reducing foreign dependence. The new additions bolster India's growing indigenous shipbuilding capabilities and combat readiness.

In security talks, Rajnath, Australian defence minister advocate stable Indo-Pacific

India and Australia emphasized freedom of navigation and a free, open Indo-Pacific during their Defence Ministers' Dialogue. The two nations are advancing bilateral maritime security cooperation, including joint maritime domain awareness activities and exploring enhanced undersea domain awareness, to bolster regional peace and security.

Australia-India target maritime security road map during PM Modi’s visit: Marles

Marles noted that he and Singh had met ahead of Modi’s visit to Australia for an annual summit with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

India, Australia underscore maritime freedom and supply chain security in high-level talks

Ministers Rajnath Singh and Richard Marles announced that the two countries would begin developing an MoU regarding the provision of defence articles and defence services as the next step

India, Australia strengthen defence ties as China asserts dominance in Indo-Pacific

India and Australia have significantly boosted their defence ties, agreeing to enhance interoperability, expand maritime security cooperation, and deepen military engagements. Key initiatives include joint exercises, reciprocal aircraft deployments, and increased information sharing. Discussions also focused on defence industrial collaboration, with plans for joint research and industry roundtables, strengthening their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

India, Australia underscore maritime freedom and supply chain security in high-level talks

India, Australia underscore maritime freedom and supply chain security in high-level talks

India, Australia Unveil Roadmap To Deepen Defence And Maritime Cooperation

The two countries also expressed interest in expanding cooperation in defence science and technology, particularly in emerging fields such as sensor technologies.

China patrols east Taiwan waters ahead of Japan-Philippines maritime delimitation talks

India-Oman trade deal goes live June 1

The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman is set to come into force on June 1, marking a significant milestone in bilateral economic relations. Both nations will formally announce the decision on Monday.This marks the fifth free trade agreement (FTA) implemented under the Modi government since 2014. It follows trade pacts rolled out with Mauritius (April 2021), the UAE (May 2022), Australia (December 2022), and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA—comprising Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway in October 2025). India has also signed deals with the UK (July 2025) and New Zealand (April 2026), alongside concluding trade talks with the 27-nation European Union (EU) on January 27 this year.CEPA vs FTAModern trade pacts typically span around 20 chapters. These encompass comprehensive regulations across trade in goods, trade in services, investment, intellectual property rights, customs procedures, and dispute settlement mechanisms.Similar bilateral frameworks are also designated as Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreements (CECA), Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreements (CETA), or Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreements (ECTA).Also read: India-Oman CEPA to strengthen energy security, trade resilience and export growthIndia-Oman tradeBilateral trade between the two nations reached USD 11.18 billion during 2025-26, up from USD 10.61 billion in 2024-25. India’s exports stood at USD 4.02 billion, while imports from Oman were valued at USD 7.16 billion.In the services domain, India's exports to Oman expanded from USD 397 million in 2020 to USD 665 million in 2024, driven primarily by telecommunications, computer and information, transport, and travel sectors. Conversely, services imports from Oman grew from USD 101 million to USD 197.7 million over the same period, led by transport, travel, telecom, and other business services.What does India gain? The deal unlocks 100% duty-free market access for Indian exports to Oman, covering 98.08% of Oman’s tariff lines, which represents 99.38% of the trade value (based on the 2022-23 average).Immediate Concessions: All zero-duty access comes into effect from "Day One" of the agreement. Currently, only 15.33% of India’s export value (11.34% of tariff lines) enters Oman duty-free under the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) regime.Price Competitiveness: The pact eliminates the current 5% import duty on Indian goods worth USD 3.64 billion.Growth Drivers: Key sectors poised for immediate advantages include textiles, agricultural products, transport equipment, precision instruments, processed food, and gems & jewellery.New Horizons: The agreement unlocks fresh export windows for Indian minerals, chemicals, base metals, machinery, plastic, rubber, automobiles, clocks, instruments, glass, ceramics, marble, and paper.India-Oman CEPA: Key sectoral gainsOman will grant immediate zero-duty access to crucial Indian industrial segments, including:Iron and steelElectrical and industrial machineryMarine products and copper goodsFurthermore, the removal of the 5% tariff is set to directly bolster the competitiveness of Indian vehicles in the Omani market, while securing binding zero-duty access for key finished medicines and vaccines.India protects sensitive sectorsTo insulate local industries and farming communities, India has placed 2,789 tariff lines on its exclusion list.Excluded Categories: Key domestic sectors shielded from tariff concessions include transport equipment, major chemicals, cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, coffee, tea, and products of animal origin.Manufacturing Safeguards: High-value manufacturing chains including rubber, leather, textiles, footwear, petroleum oils, and mineral-based products remain protected.Agricultural Shielding: Strategic segments such as dairy products, meat, oilseeds, vegetable oils, sugar, and food-processing residues are entirely kept out of the liberalisation purview.Service sector stands to gainWith Oman’s total global services imports standing at USD 12.52 billion in 2024, India’s current share of 5.31% presents significant room for expansion.Oman has made robust commitments regarding the temporary entry and stay of Indian service professionals. Notably, the Intra-Corporate Transferees (ICT) ceiling has been raised from 20% to 50%, allowing Indian firms to deploy a higher volume of managerial and specialist personnel.Additionally, for the first time in any FTA, Oman has locked in specific commitments for professional service providers, benefitting Indian talent in IT, accounting, engineering, medical, education, construction, and consulting fields.Gains for India's agri sectorIndian agricultural exports such as natural honey, potatoes, cashews, boneless meat, and bakery items will secure immediate duty-free entry into Oman.Oman has agreed to dismantle tariffs—which currently range from 5% to 100%—on an array of items. These include cheese, curd, milk, cream, frozen fish, butter, meat, yoghurt, pastries, cakes, chocolate, sugar confectionery, mineral water, alongside animal and vegetable fats and oils.In return, Indian consumers will benefit from cheaper imports of Omani dates, with India granting zero-duty access for up to 2,000 tonnes of the commodity annually. New Delhi is also extending tariff concessions to Oman’s traditional products: Gum Arabica (utilised in food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics) and Frankincense (utilised in the incense and perfume sectors).Oman to benefit from tariff concessionsIndia is extending tariff concessions across 77.79% of its total tariff lines (equivalent to 12,556 lines), which encapsulates 94.81% of India’s total imports from Oman by value.For items that hold significant export value for Oman but remain sensitive for domestic industries in India—such as dates, marbles, and specific petrochemical products—liberalisation will be managed via a controlled Tariff-Rate Quota (TRQ) mechanism.India strengthening presence in Middle EastThe Oman CEPA serves as another pillar in India's deepening trade ties with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), following its May 2022 pact with the UAE. New Delhi is set to commence trade talks with Qatar soon, and has already inked terms of reference (TOR) to initiate broader trade pact negotiations with the entire GCC bloc (comprising Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain).Despite its size, Oman commands vast geopolitical importance as it borders the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint heavily relied upon by Asian enterprises for oil trade. The nation serves as a strategic gateway for Indian goods and services into the broader Middle Eastern and African markets.Currently, nearly 7 lakh Indian nationals reside in Oman, sending home approximately USD 2 billion in annual remittances. Over 6,000 Indian establishments operate within Oman, and India has clocked USD 615.54 million in foreign direct investment (FDI) from Oman between April 2000 and September 2025. Notably, this CEPA is the first bilateral trade pact Oman has signed with any nation since its agreement with the United States in 2006, cementing its position as India’s third-largest export market within the GCC.

Indian Navy Ready For Any 'Two-Front' Challenge From China, Pakistan: Navy Chief Dinesh K Tripathi

The Navy has significantly expanded its maritime surveillance network, underwater monitoring systems, anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

NSA Doval, Patrushev discuss maritime ties

Indian Navy's aggressive posture during 'Operation Sindoor' crippled Pakistan's maritime trade: Naval chief

Indian Navy's aggressive posture during 'Operation Sindoor' crippled Pakistan's maritime trade: Naval Chief

Op Sindoor hit Pakistan’s maritime economy

Rajnath Singh inaugurates Naval memorial Nausena Shaurya Vatika in Lucknow

Built on two acres near Ekana Cricket Stadium, the vatika is dedicated to the valour, indomitable courage and modern technical proficiency of India’s maritime borders.

India, Italy to launch maritime security format