India has safeguarded its market from imports of over 2,780 tariff lines, including gold and silver bullions, jewellery, dairy, tea, coffee, and tobacco, under its free trade agreement with Oman.
The FTA protects India's sensitive sectors adequately, with 2,789 tariff lines placed in the exclusion list, including transport equipment, major chemicals, cereals, fruits, vegetables, spices, and animal-origin products.
Strategic agricultural products such as dairy, meat, cereals, oilseeds, vegetable oils, and sugar remain excluded, while jewellery, precious and non-ferrous metals, and petroleum products are also protected.
A tariff-rate quota has been put in place to check the import of sensitive items for India, including marble, dates, petrochemicals, and plastics.
The India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) is scheduled to be operational on June 1, securing almost 100% duty-free market access for India's exports to Oman.
The pact will benefit exports of Indian textiles and apparels, agricultural and processed food products, transport equipment, precision instruments, marine products, and gems and jewellery among others.
