Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visits to Jordan and Oman in mid-December 2025 are drawing attention across diplomatic and business circles, coming at a time when West Asia is experiencing dramatic political shifts and heightened uncertainty. The timing of the tour, which has not yet been officially confirmed by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, is significant. According to ETV Bharat, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters on December 9, 2025, that the media would be updated once the dates were finalized. Yet, the signals are clear: India is recalibrating its West Asia strategy, seeking to reinforce ties with moderate, reliable partners as the region’s alliances and security landscape undergo rapid transformation.
Jordan, the first stop on Modi’s itinerary, sits at the crossroads of regional politics. As the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem and a host to many Palestinian refugees, Jordan has long played a stabilizing role in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Muddassir Quamar, Associate Professor at the Centre of West Asian Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told ETV Bharat, “Jordan sits at a very crucial both in terms of geography and geopolitics. Jordan has traditionally played an important role in maintaining stability on the Israel-Palestine issue.” Quamar also pointed out that Jordan shares India’s support for a two-state solution. This alignment provides a platform for India to reaffirm its principled stance on humanitarian issues and to consult with a moderate Arab monarchy that is often engaged in quiet diplomacy during regional crises.
India’s relationship with Jordan is rooted in history, with the first bilateral agreement for cooperation and friendly relations signed in 1947. Diplomatic ties were formalized in 1950, and the relationship has since been characterized by goodwill and mutual respect. While Modi made a transit visit to Jordan in February 2018 on his way to Ramallah, this December’s trip will mark his first full-fledged state visit to the country. As Quamar noted, “Jordan is going through economic reforms and changes. It requires external investments in areas like fintech, automobiles, and renewable energy.”
Economic links between the two nations are robust. India-Jordan bilateral trade in 2023-24 was valued at $2.875 billion, with Indian exports to Jordan amounting to $1.465 billion. India imports fertilisers, phosphates, and phosphoric acid from Jordan, while exporting electrical machinery, cereals, frozen meat, chemicals, animal fodders, petroleum products, engineering and automotive parts, among other goods. The proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), which is expected to pass through Jordan, has the potential to further deepen economic ties. Quamar highlighted that Indian companies could find opportunities in Jordan’s energy sector, especially given the country’s proximity to the gas-rich eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Turning to Oman, the second leg of Modi’s journey, the relationship is even deeper and more multifaceted. This will be Modi’s second visit to Oman since February 2018, but the ties between the two countries stretch back much further. In November 2008, the historical India-Oman bilateral relationship was elevated to a strategic partnership, and since then, political engagement has only intensified. According to ETV Bharat, Oman is a key pillar of India’s West Asia policy and its oldest regional strategic partner. Quamar observed, “Oman is very appreciative of India’s foreign policy and security concerns.”
Oman’s importance to India is underscored by their extensive defense cooperation. It is the only Gulf nation with which India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force all conduct joint exercises. Both countries have cooperated closely on maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, as well as in anti-piracy, counter-terrorism, and combating organized crime such as drug trafficking in the Arabian Sea. “We cooperate in anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and fighting against organised crime like drug-trafficking in the Arabian Sea,” Quamar said.
The economic relationship is equally strong. Bilateral trade between India and Oman reached $8.947 billion in FY 2023-24 and rose to $10.613 billion in FY 2024-25. Oman ranks as India’s 29th largest export market and 25th largest source of imports for the current fiscal year. India is also the fourth largest source of Oman’s non-oil imports and the third largest market for Oman’s non-oil exports. India’s exports to Oman in 2024 included light oils and preparations, aluminium oxide, rice, boilers, machinery, aircraft, electrical machinery, beauty products, plastics, iron and steel, and ceramic products.
Opportunities for further collaboration abound. Quamar suggested that areas such as fintech, cybersecurity, defense manufacturing, maritime security, and food security offer scope for new initiatives. “During Prime Minister Modi’s visit, we can expect some new announcements in defence cooperation, food security and cultural cooperation,” he predicted. Oman is also home to a vibrant Indian diaspora of nearly 700,000 people, making people-to-people ties another important aspect of the bilateral relationship.
Modi’s dual visits come against a backdrop of shifting alliances and ongoing instability in West Asia. The aftershocks of the Gaza crisis, changing Gulf alignments, and increased maritime risks have created a complex diplomatic environment. India’s approach, as reflected in these visits, is one of careful engagement—strengthening bonds with partners that offer political moderation and strategic stability. As ETV Bharat noted, the engagements in Amman and Muscat are part of a “calibrated outreach aimed at reinforcing India’s relevance in a rapidly evolving neighbourhood.”
For India, the stakes are high. Its energy security depends on stable access to Gulf resources, and its economic ambitions are tied to the region’s prosperity. The nearly 700,000-strong Indian community in Oman and the broader diaspora across West Asia add another layer of responsibility for New Delhi. By deepening its partnerships with Jordan and Oman, India hopes to safeguard its interests, protect its nationals abroad, and enhance its role as a credible interlocutor in the Arab world.
Meanwhile, Oman’s own regional ambitions are coming into sharper focus. On December 10, 2025, Oman Air announced a new Muscat–Taif flight service starting on January 31, 2026, marking its fifth destination in Saudi Arabia, alongside Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Madinah. The new route will operate three times a week using Boeing 737 aircraft, further strengthening intra-regional connectivity. Con Korfiatis, CEO of Oman Air, commented, “Expanding into Taif reinforces the strong economic and cultural ties between Oman and Saudi Arabia. It also enables us to better serve our guests by offering greater choice and convenience.” According to Gulf News, this move is seen as a strategic step in enhancing Oman’s regional footprint and supporting broader economic and social links across the Gulf.
As Modi prepares for his West Asia tour, the convergence of diplomatic, economic, and cultural interests between India, Jordan, and Oman is unmistakable. With new initiatives on the horizon and longstanding partnerships being reaffirmed, the coming weeks could prove pivotal for India’s engagement in a region that is as challenging as it is vital to its future.
These developments underscore the importance of steady, well-calibrated diplomacy in a region where the only constant is change.