India-Oman Trade Pact Offers to Bypass Hormuz Amid Gulf Crisis

The India-Oman CEPA’s core advantage lies in geography: much of Oman’s coastline, including the key ports of Salalah and Duqm, sits outside the Strait of Hormuz. This allows trade and energy shipments to bypass the world’s most critical oil chokepoint, which has seen severe disruption amid the US-Iran conflict. Recent trade data underscores this resilience, with Indian imports from Oman surging 246.4% year-on-year even as imports from other Gulf economies plunged. 

"Unlike most Gulf countries, which rely on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, much of Oman's coastline is located outside the Strait, directly on the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. This allows major ports such as Port of Salalah and Port of Duqm to remain accessible even when traffic through the Strait is disrupted. As a result, Oman can continue serving as a reliable trade and energy gateway during periods of conflict or instability in the Gulf."