New Delhi: Head of State of Sultanate of Oman His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will visit India on December 16. He is arriving here at the invitation of the President Droupadi Murmu.

He will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including senior Ministers and officials.

This first state visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to India marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between India and the Sultanate of Oman, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its press release on December 10.

On the same day, His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will be received by President Droupadi Murmu and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for a ceremonial welcome.

He will hold bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will also host a luncheon in his honour.

"India and Oman share a longstanding history of friendship and cooperation, built on the foundation of mutual trust and respect, and strong people-to-people ties going back centuries", MEA said.

MEA further said that India and the Sultanate of Oman are strategic partners and the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two nations has flourished over the years.

The visit will be an opportunity to explore avenues for future collaboration between India and Oman for regional stability, progress and prosperity, MEA also added.

The Sultanate of Oman is a strategic partner of India and an important interlocutor at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Arab League, and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) fora.

Oman is a crucial pillar of India's West Asia Policy and its oldest regional strategic partner.