f. Science and technology

f� Science and technology

The Sultanate embarked on its ambitious journey towards inducing a quantum shift to a knowledge-based society by launching the Digital Oman Strategy with focus on activating information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote government services, enrich the business sector, and enable individuals to conduct transactions digitally. It also seeks to set up an integrated infrastructure that provides excellent government e-services to citizens and businesses in the Sultanate, build knowledge-based industries, and create ample and diverse job opportunities for Omani nationals. While the late Sultan Qaboos is the architect of modern Oman, providing the country with all the infrastructure needs, the new Sultan, His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik is making all-out efforts to develop Oman’s digital infrastructure. In the Sultanate, municipalities, developers, and planners are mostly employing digital tools to meet economic, cultural, and environmental needs of both the present and future. Vast amounts of information are disseminated through ICT worldwide and those who have no access to these technologies are left at a disadvantage, being unable to participate and share fully in the benefits of the information society. Access to ICT is seen as an essential factor for the development and the improvement of the well-being of society54. Oman National Computer Emergency Readiness Team (OCERT) is an Omani digital initiative that epitomizes a turning point in security incidents in the Sultanate. Inaugurated in April 2010, it was tasked with providing a secure cyber environment to every user of any government or private website. In 2016, Oman launched the Oman Technology Fund (OTF), which focuses on investment in emerging enterprises and innovative ideas in the IT sector in Oman and the region. The Fund’s structure relies on partnerships with international leading companies renowned for their audacious IT investments. Its work consists mainly of identifying pioneering ideas in the ICT sector, and entrepreneurs who have ideas and projects with high-growth potential and developing these enterprises, while giving them the opportunity to gain a global footprint by capitalizing on the advanced capabilities of its international investment partners. Vision 2040, Oman’s long-term development plan, calls for the enhancement of national technical capabilities, the construction of vital ICT infrastructure, and the improvement of e-government services. The government has prioritized the development of ICT and the sector is well positioned for growth in the years ahead. Oman’s sovereign wealth fund formed the Oman ICT Group (OICT) in early 2019 to focus on cloud and data services, cybersecurity and smart applications, and next-generation technology.55

54 First Voluntary National Review of The Sultanate of Oman 2019. 55 International Trade Administration. Oman -Country Commercial Guide.

A Royal Decree in October 2019 created the Ministry of Technology and Communications (MTC), and shifted the Information Technology Authority (ITA) under the MTC’s control to implement national IT infrastructure projects and execute e-government initiatives. In August 2020, through a Royal Decree by His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik, as part of the restructuring of the government apparatus, reunited the two ministries, into the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology. Although the government reorganization signaled more centralized control over ICT, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has maintained considerable oversight and policy guidance, most notably in the deployment of Oman’s 5G networks in 2020 and its decision to lift the ban on VoIP calls after the COVID-19 outbreak in March. Several Omani start-ups, backed by government investments, are also at the forefront of IT initiatives in response to COVID-19. The Centre of Excellence in Communication Technologies project is one of the components of Oman Tawazun (Offset) Program, which is one of the economic tools used in more than 100 countries around the world with the aim of diversifying the country’s economy by investing in projects and programs that serve the country’s strategic objectives. The Omani authorities also prioritized the need to look at the changes that loomed on the horizon as quantum leaps started to occur under the Fourth Industrial Revolution, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchains, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, and enhanced reality. It has consequently put in place a number of initiatives to implement artificial intelligence, blockchain, and other emerging technologies. Already, Oman’s focus on cybersecurity has placed it at the second position in the Arab world in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) in 2019 ranked by International Telecommunications Union (ITU). A pre-COVID report issued by Global Data in March 2020 forecasts ICT spending in Oman to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.3% from around US$ 3.2bn in 2019 to US$ 5.6 bn in 2024. The report highlights e-governance, related services, e-commerce, and cloud services as key factors for this growth. The digital Oman strategy is also expected to increase employment opportunities for Omani youth with parallel focus on creating a wealth of skilled resources through early ICT training and skill development56. According to Baby Sam Samuel, “Despite the economic and other challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ensuing need for social distancing and remote work has accelerated the adoption, access and need for digitalization across various sectors in Oman”57. Some striking examples, according to him, include the unprecedented transition to remote

56 Data provided by Baby Sam Samuel in a personal interview. 57 Personal interview.

work by both public and private sector, internet-enabled remote lessons for students in Oman, the adoption of 5G and fibre optic connectivity, the entry of new, competitive players in the e-commerce market, and the government decision to hasten the availability of satellite-enabled internet availability and communication infrastructure in the rural regions of the country. The Sultanate is fully aware of the importance of developing human cadres through training that is attuned to future challenges and requirements. Required skills vary with economic changes, depending on labour market needs. That is why Oman is keen on arming the youth with skills that are indispensable for the use of new emerging technologies. In this vein, the National Youth Program for Skills Development was instituted with the aim of equipping the youth, designated as targeted beneficiaries, with the fourth revolution skills ,and building Omani digital capacities and competencies. In August 2019, the Information Technology Authority (ITA) planned to digitize 59 Omani government agencies and institutions by 202258 . His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik issued a royal decree on June 11, 2020 establishing Cyber Defence Centre in Oman that brought into focus the Omani government’s broader technology agenda. Oman has specific laws to deal with security threats, including a specific Anti-Cybercrime Law. This addresses issues such as IP and data protection, privacy, enforcement of electronic contracts, jurisdictional matters and e-payment systems. A further Law of Electronic Transactions deals with issues thrown up by e-commerce, particularly ensuring the validity of online purchases. The Oman e-governance framework also includes its own security compliance requirements. In the latest UN Global Cybersecurity Index, Oman was ranked as the most prepared nation in the GCC region and fourth in the world for dealing with cybercrime. Although Oman and India did have bilateral agreements in different fields including technology transfer, they witnessed a paradigm shift during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Sultanate in 2018. Space was identified as a new area of cooperation during his visit. An MoU on Space Cooperation was signed during his visit. India has proven capabilities in the field of space research and is a reliable partner for satellite development and other space related sectors. The agreement, which was approved by India’s Union Cabinet in June 2018, will enable both sides to cooperate in “space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth, satellite based navigation, space science and planetary exploration, use of spacecraft and space systems and ground systems and application of space technology”59 .

58 agsiw.org/oman-jump-starts-its-slow-moving-technology-initiatives 59 Ningthoujam, A. (2020, July). ‘Taking India-Gulf cooperation into space’. The Diplomat.

The Union Cabinet of India, in June 2018, approved the agreement between the two countries for “cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space to help build the Arab country’s space programme”60. The MoU is for cooperation in areas like space science, technology and applications including remote sensing of the earth, satellite-based navigation, planetary exploration, and use of spacecraft, and space and ground systems. Signed between Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) and Oman’s Ministry of Transport and Communications in Muscat in February, 2020, the MoU will provide impetus to explore newer research activities and application possibilities. The two countries now should not find difficulty in strengthening cooperation in various spatial spheres, including satellite navigation, sounding rockets, satellite-based rescue missions, as well as maritime security. Eng. Salem bin Abdullah al Nu’aimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport and Communications for Transport Affairs, said that the MoU in the field of peaceful use of space provides for cooperation in the fields of satellites used in navigation systems, space sciences and exploration, sharing experiences between the two countries and exchanging visits of specialists in this field. Considering the heightening bilateral partnerships, India’s assistance in building Oman’s capabilities, including training and human resource development, is expected to be promising61. Oman was one of the first countries in the Gulf region that exhibited interest in forging space cooperation with India nearly a decade ago. A four-member delegation from the Oman’s Department of Communication visited ISRO in March 2011 and expressed its interest for collaboration to build its space programme. In May 2016, Oman conveyed its interest to cooperate on space applications with ISRO.

g� Tourism

The tourism sector is now recognized as a potential industry that contributes to a country’s revenue, overall GDP, and foreign exchange earnings. Countries are now promoting their tourism potential as a growing source of income to the private sector as well as individuals, creating various employment opportunities and contributing to their citizens’ quality of life. For this reason, investments in the tourism industry have seen a substantial rise to make it an economic engine for growth and development. According to the Travel and Tourism Council Economic Impact 2020 (WTTC) report for the Asia Pacific regions, the travel and tourism industry grew by 3.5% and the sector contributed to 10.3% of the total Asia Pacific GDP region. The travel and tourism industry contributes 182.2 million jobs

60 www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/india 61 Ningthoujam, A. (2020, July). ‘Taking India-Gulf cooperation into space’. The Diplomat.

in the region. The report further added that 81% of travellers displayed characteristics of leisure spending, whereas 74% of travellers were domestic tourists62. In the GCC, the sector accounted for US$ 245 billion of its overall GDP in 2019, equating to 8.6% in addition to supporting nearly seven million jobs or 8.8% of the total number of people employed. On a global scale, the sector contributed 10.3% towards GDP and generated 330 million jobs. The Omani tourism sector, one of the five pillars of Oman’s Tanfeedh diversification programme, has gained traction in recent years with many positive indicators, supported by an increase in government investments in establishing infrastructure and substantial rise in private sector investment. Along with its breathtaking scenery, the rollout of new business laws that include tax incentives are attracting international investors to the country. The contribution of travel, hospitality and tourism to the Omani economy, according to the annual statistical bulletin of National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), totalled around 1.293 billion Omani Rials in 2019, up from 1.233 billion Omani Rials a year earlier, entailing an increase of 4.9%. The direct value added from the sector has been growing incrementally over the past five years, rising 4.1% from 689.5 million Omani Rials in 2018 to 717.9 million Omani Rials in 2019. The total number of tourists in 2019 reached 3.5 million, compared to 3.2 million tourists in 2018, and 2.6 million tourists in 2015. The four-year period from 2015 to 2019 witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of single-day visitors, whether they come to attend conferences or onboard cruise ships. The total number of single-day visitors in 2019 reached one million visitors, representing about 28.7% of the total number of tourists coming to the Sultanate. The average spending per tourist in 2019 increased to 195.3 Omani Rials, compared to 138.5 Omani Rials in 201563 .

The 2015-2020 five-year plan period saw the opening of many major tourism and infrastructure projects that support the tourism sector, most notably Muscat International Airport, which received more than 16 million passengers in 2019, on incoming and outgoing international and domestic flights, compared to 10.3 million passengers in 2015. Another major important development during the Plan period was the opening of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, which hosted many local and international conferences and exhibitions that contributed to the revitalization of conference tourism. According to the NCSI report, as many as 491 hotel properties distributed across all star ratings were in operation around the Sultanate in 2019. The majority — numbering 348 properties —

62 hotliermiddleeast.com/business 63 NCSI. https://www.ncsi.gov.om/

Source: National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman

belonged to the category of one-star and unclassified hotels, guesthouses and hotel apartments. Five-star properties totalled 26 in 2019, up from 11 in 2015, while four-star hotels grew modestly to 24 last year, up from 23 in 2015. Those in the 3-star category jumped from 27 in 2015 to 38 last year, while the one-star and other properties nearly doubled to 348 last year, up from 186 in 2016.

India too, is a large market for travel and tourism. It offers a diverse portfolio of niche tourism products — cruises, adventure, medical, wellness, sports, MICE, eco-tourism, film, rural and religious tourism. India has been recognized as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. The WTTC ranking list has India as 10th position among 185 countries in terms of travel & tourism’s total contribution to GDP in 2019. During 2019, contribution of travel & tourism to GDP was 6.8% of the total economy, US$ 194.30 billion. Tourism in India has significant potential, considering the rich cultural and historical heritage, variety in ecology, terrains and places of natural beauty spread across the country. Tourism is also a potentially large employment generator besides being a significant source of foreign exchange for the country. India has moved up six places in the latest travel and tourism competitiveness index. According to the World Economic Forum report, India moved from its 40th rank to 34th rank on the world travel and tourism competitiveness index64. Best of all, India accounts for a major chunk of

64 www.financialexpress.com/lifestyle/travel-tourism/

South Asia’s travel and tourism GDP, making it one of the most competitive T&T-oriented economies in the sub-region itself. During 2019, foreign tourist arrivals in India stood at 10.89 million, achieving a growth rate of 3.20% year on year. During 2019, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism increased 4.8% year on year US$ 29.96 billion. In 2019, arrivals through e-Tourist Visa increased by 23.6% year on year to 2.9 million65 .

International hotel chains are increasing their presence in India, and will account for around 47% share in the tourism and hospitality sector of the country by 2020 and 50% by 2022. India is a digitally advanced traveller nation in terms of digital tools being used for planning, booking, and experiencing a journey. India’s rising middle class and increasing disposable income has supported the growth of domestic and outbound tourism. India was globally the third largest in terms of investment in travel and tourism with an inflow of US$ 45.7 billion in 2018, accounting for 5.9% of the total investment in the country. The Indian Government has realized the country’s potential in the tourism industry and has taken several steps to make India a global tourism hub. Hotel and Tourism sector received cumulative FDI inflow of US$ 15.28 billion between April 2000 and March 2020. The industry is also looking forward to the expansion of e-Visa scheme, which is expected to double the tourist inflow in India.

India has been promoting tourism under the ‘Incredible India 2.0’ campaign and has been conducting road shows and other marketing campaigns, while the states have also been promoting tourism state-wise under separate campaigns similar to the Incredible India campaign. Also, due to the continuous growth in the number of tourists from both domestic and international markets, and an increasing demand for unique experiences by different tourist segments, especially millennial tourists, the industry is seeing a shift from destinationbased tourism to experience-based tourism and development of niche tourism products and services for tourists. A few key tourism offerings that majorly attract tourists to India are medical tourism, business tourism, adventure tourism, spiritual tourism, heritage tourism, cultural tourism, ecotourism and rural tourism66. This has been possible due to India’s diverse geography and cultural heritage. The launch of several branding and marketing initiatives by the Government of India such as ‘Incredible India!’ and ‘Athiti Devo Bhava’ has provided a focused impetus to growth. The Indian Government has also released a

65 www.unwto.org/news/unwto-delegation-observes-safe-restart-of-tourism-in-egypt-onofficial-visit 66 www.ibef.org/industry/tourism-hospitality-India

Source: India Brand Equity Foundation

fresh category of visa – the medical visa or M-visa, to encourage medical tourism in the country67. The Government is also making serious efforts to boost investment in the tourism sector. In the hotel and tourism sector, 100% FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) is allowed through the automatic route. A five-year tax holiday has been offered for 2, 3 and 4-star category hotels located around UNESCO World Heritage sites (except Delhi and Mumbai). The hotel and tourism sector received cumulative FDI inflow of US$ 15.28 billion between April 2000 and March 2020. Promotion of tourism to the optimum level was one of the agreements signed between Oman and India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in February 2018. Following this, Suresh Prabhu, the former minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Civil Aviation, met with Oman’s former Minister of Tourism, Ahmed bin Nasser al Mahrzi to explore means of enhancing the tourism cooperation between the two countries. The meeting included a presentation on the Omani tourism strategy which focused on responsible and sustainable tourism principles, and opening investment in tourism sectors that serve the governorates in the Sultanate. An agreement to develop ‘Sky Line Duqm’, an integrated tourism complex project in Duqm was signed between the two countries. The project was announced in December 2017. Work on the first phase of the project – the village resort, 25 beachfront villas, and an apartment complex housing 96 units, commenced in January 2018. Individuals who purchase a property in this complex will receive Omani residence visas. In addition to that, Indian expats who currently work in Oman, and choose to retire here, will also

67 www.globenewswire.com/news-release

receive a residency and continue to enjoy all that Oman has to offer. As a follow up, the Ministry of Tourism, Oman, conducted roadshows in Bengaluru, Pune and Mumbai in May 2019. The aim was to strengthen its outreach among the travel trade fraternity in India. In an effort to retain the growth momentum of Indian arrivals into Oman, the Ministry along with destination management companies, hotels, attraction operators and Oman Air, the national carrier, connected with over 200 notable travel & tour companies. According to Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism, Oman, several initiatives have contributed to this growth, such as the introduction of short-term visa and electronic visa, direct flight connectivity from various cities in India, newly launched 5-star properties, opening of the new passenger terminal at Muscat International Airport and more. “In alignment with the 2040 strategy, the Ministry has taken steps to develop and promote a broader variety of distinctive experiences, with the goal of encouraging extended visits and greater engagement with the country’s culture and natural sites,” she stated while commenting on the Oman Tourism Roadshows conducted in India. She also elaborated:

Tourism is on the rise and inbound arrivals from India have significantly increased in the last few years. India represents a substantial and vast market for Oman, given the high percentage of travellers willing to travel abroad and experience new destinations. We have been observing a steady year-on-year increase in tourist arrivals to Oman from India and are extremely pleased with the consistent growth. While Mumbai is one of our primary source markets, Bengaluru, and Pune have shown immense potential as we see a rise in the number of outbound travellers from these cities. They are constantly on the lookout for unique destinations and

Oman fits the bill perfectly. Lubaina Sheerazi, India Representative, Ministry of Tourism Oman68 Oman has been seeing a big increase in the number of visitors from India over the past few years, due to an effective marketing strategy and ease in visa procedures. The Sultanate received 357,147 Indian visitors in 2018, an increase of 12.37% from 317,844 visitors in 2017. With a view to facilitate and encourage foreign nationals including Omanis, to visit India for tourism, business and other purposes, India made changes in the visa rules in January 2017 in order to liberalise, simplify and rationalise the visa regime. The Government of India has modified the existing ‘e-Tourist Visa’ scheme69 . In September 2017, Oman Tourism launched a global advertising campaign

68 Personal interview. 69 www.omanobserver.om/surge-in-indian-tourists

to showcase the essence of Oman as a destination at different levels and also to highlight the varied aspects of tourism in Oman through a short film. Shot at various locations of Oman, the film gives a glimpse of Muscat city, the rustic town of Sur, the historic city of Nizwa, the well-nurtured turtle reserve at Ras Al Jinz, breezy-mountainous regions of Jabal Akdhar, and pristine Damaniyat Islands. The film was conceived by The Ministry of Tourism’s team working in Oman and India and its main purpose was to lure Indian, as well as international tourists. Often referred to as the Jewel of Arabia, the Sultanate is one of the choicest picks for Indians to host nuptials. Since weddings are an important part of Indian culture, Oman tourism has set the stage rolling to promote the country for destination weddings. The film, which was wedding specific, has encapsulated a segment in it showcasing the different hues, emotions and rituals of an Indian wedding. Furthermore, the sandy beaches, stunning rock formations, conducive weather and laidback aura make Oman a favourite destination for weddings.The government’s announcement to introduce visa-on-arrival for Indians with valid visas of USA, the UK, Schengen, Canada and Australia is only bound to make planning a wedding in the Sultanate easier. As Oman continues to diversify out of oil, the tourism industry has been of particular interest, with government initiatives and investments being a driving force for expansion within the sector. Investments are being made for the long term, with the government determined to achieve the objectives of the 2040 National Tourism Strategy. Foreign investors looking for investment opportunities in Oman may look to the country’s tourism industry for potential, with continued growth expected within this sector over the coming years. Oman is opening up its real estate market to foreign investors further by allowing them access to a wider selection of residential properties as part of reform measures aimed at improving the country’s fiscal position. Non-GCC nationals can currently buy property in Oman, but only within integrated tourism complexes (ITCs). There are 13 ITCs in the Sultanate, according to the tourism ministry’s website.

Tourism sector in India:

• India is the most digitally-advanced traveller nation in terms of digital tools being used for planning, booking and experiencing a journey. • During 2018, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India stood at 10.56 million, achieving a growth rate of 5.20% year-on-year.

FTAs in January 2019 stood at 1.10 million, up 5.30% compared to 1.05 million year-on-year. • The travel & tourism sector in India accounted for 8% of the total employment opportunities generated in the country in 2017, providing employment to around 41.6 million people during the same year. • International hotel chains are increasing their presence in the country, as it will account for around 47% share in the tourism and hospitality sector of India by 2020 and 50% by 2022.

Advantages of investing in Oman:

• Supportive Laws: Legislative environment, which is continuously developing. • Infrastructure: Solid tourism infrastructure, with continuous development in line with established international standards. • Tax: Low tax on profits and no personal income tax. Flexible tax system allowing exemption on profits of foreign investment projects for 5 years, renewable for futher 5 years. • Profits: No restrictions on repatriation of imported capital and profits. • Land earmarked for tourism purposes. • Granting of land earmarked for tourism purposes in accordance with the usufruct for a period ranging from 25 to 50 years depending on the type and size of the project. • Exemption from payment of rental value for a period ranging from 3 to 5 years according to the nature and type of the project. • Rental value is estimated in accordance with the project’s land area. • Exemption from income tax for five years from the date of operating the project. • The estimated annual rental value of lands is 300 bz per square metre in Muscat Governorate and the Wilayat of Salalah, and 150 bz per square metre in the remaining governorates, regions and in the wilayat of Qurayat.

Ownership opportunities:

Non-Omanis (exclusive of GCC Nationals) are allowed to own the following types of real estate in the integrated tourism complexes approved by the government in the different governorates and regions of the Sultanate: • Built real estate, whether villa, apartment or shop • Reclaimed plots Individuals and companies who are granted land according to the law of the Organization of the Usufruct of the Sultanate’s land and wish to establish an integrated tourism project can sell built units or land after obtaining permission from Ministry of Tourism, and after paying 10% of value of the built units or 20% of the value of the land to the Ministry of Housing, Electricity and Water. Land bought in integrated tourism projects should be built within a period of 4 years from the date of registration. This period can be extended for a further 2 years if compelling reasons have caused the delay. However the buyer cannot dispense of the land before the elapse of the above mentioned period.

Note: Refer to Oman Tourism website for more information.

ITC investments:*

Although the regulations may change in the future to allow the purchase of a wider range of properties, at present, foreigners including Indian nationals, are able to buy properties within Integrated Tourism Complexes (ITC). These are larger scale, master planned projects focussing primarily on the residential and hospitality/tourism sectors.

Al Mouj is an established project by Majid Al Futtaim located on the beachfront to the north of Muscat International Airport and is emerging as a new centre for the city. Available properties include detached villas, townhouses and apartments. The most recent launches in 2020 have been the Juman 2 apartments fronting onto the marina and more compact villas in the Ghadeer district. The project also provides a marina, Greg

Norman designed golf course, a retail precinct and a growing range of 4 and 5-star hotels (including the Kempinski and the under construction St.Regis). Muscat Hills is located around 10 minutes’ drive to the south of the airport and is built around Muscat’s first green golf course. It offers a range of exclusive villas and apartments within and around the golf course, allied to more affordable apartments within the emerging Boulevard locality.

Barr Al Jissah provides a spectacular coastal setting to the east of the city where the Hajar Mountains meet the Gulf of Oman. A smaller scale, exclusive project associated with the Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort which offers 4-bedroom townhouses on the resales market and a limited number of deluxe apartments and villas under construction in the marina.

Recent launches at Muriya’s Jebel Sifah and Hawana Salalah developments have focussed on providing smaller apartments, townhouses and villas which are ideal as a second/holiday home. Jebel Sifah enjoys an idyllic coastal setting approximately 1 hour’s drive to the east of Muscat International Airport and provides a marina, golf course and boutique hotel.

Hawana Salalah has a stunning coastal location approximately 30 minutes’ drive to the east of Salalah International Airport with facilities including a marina and a growing range of 4 and 5-star hotels. It also benefits from cooler summer weather during the Khareef (monsoon) season which runs from July to September.

Muscat Bay is located close to Barr Al Jissah and offers a range of generously sized, ready to move in apartments and villas built around a manmade lagoon with a coastal setting. The project will be further enhanced when the 5-star, beachfront Jumeirah hotel opens in the near future.

The benefits of purchasing a property within an ITC project include a residence visa for purchasers and their first degree family members allied to excellent flight connectivity with India.

* Contributed by Matthew Wright, Head of Consultancy, Savills Oman

247

REFLECTIONS ON LOOKING AHEAD

The relation between India and Oman is continuous and not broken with time. Another aspect which has characterized this relationship is that it is clearly built on principles of admiration and respect for one another regardless of religious or ethnic differences, or world views. It is a pragmatic relationship based on achieving common benefits for both sides.

The National Museum, Oman has a number of iconic or key objects that stand as a testimony to our relations, including an intricate comb which is 5000 years old, a coin hoard from the Mughal period, as well as a Harappan Jar which will be restored and displayed. All this is a mute testim ony to past relations. We have a dedicated section within the ‘Oman and the World’ gallery which is dedicated to our bilateral relationship through the ages. The decision to have this section was made when the museum project was in the early stages of development in 201l. This is a testimony of the Omani authorities’ interest to place importance on this interaction. In fact, there is a record of a diplomatic envoy sent by Sultan of Mysore Tipu Sultan on a diplomatic trade mission to Muscat. This is a milestone within the context of our diplomatic relationship. The National Museum has a number of such iconic or key objects that stand as a testimony to our relation. We have a gallery called ‘Splendours of Islam’ and one section is dedicated to religious coexistence. India, as a cradle of civilization, has given the world sublime philosophy but has also contributed to human faith, and to our understanding of human creation and higher powers.

H.E. Jamal al Moosawi, Secretary General, National Museum, Oman

Oman and India enjoy very strong relations in historical, economic and cultural relations, in addition to people to people exchanges. The relations that span over 5,000 years between the countries have led to the mixing of cultural traditions that is reflected in several areas including crafts, textiles, cuisine and customs. Archaeological excavations in both countries have unearthed evidences, confirming that Oman-India trade flourished during the pre- Islamic times.

Travel accounts by acclaimed world travelers also ascertain Oman’s links with the Indian states in Gujarat and along the Malabar Coast. These countries of strategic importance continue to maintain these centuries-old relations in a systematic manner. Omanis and Indians identify closely with one another and are an integral part of each other’s homes, and partake wholeheartedly in each other’s festivals and other commemorative occasions.

No doubt, the two great nations have forged cordial relations strengthened by the role of the H.E. Seif al Rahbi, expatriate community in the Sultanate’s nation Omani poet and Editor-inbuilding. Indeed, for all expatriates living in Chief of NIZWA magazine Oman, this beautiful country with its breathtaking beauty and natural bounty, is their home. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

India and Oman are linked by geography, history and culture and enjoy warm and cordial relations. This close relationship between these two great nations date back to even pre-historical period. India-Oman relations encompass a wide spectrum of activities in trade, energy and investment. Over the years, the India-Oman relationship has acquired a multi-dimensional character. In recent years, the security and defence components of the relationship have broadened and deepened. The economic and commercial relaHon. Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, tions between India and Oman are robust and Chairperson, MHD buoyant. India is among Oman’s top trading partners. Our relationship with India is strong as both countries understand each other and there is regular growth and momentum. The constant exchange of expertise, visits and publications between cultural institutions, establishments and authorities of the two countries have led to the development and expansion of ideas and resources. As a nation, we are now on the path of progress laid out by the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos and now carrying the baton ahead by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik in line with the vision to contribute to the Sultanate’s efforts in overcoming challenges. This will help in strengthening the relation between the nations and embark on a new era of peace and prosperity.

The historic India-Oman bilateral relations date back to almost 5000 years, through rich maritime trade links and local community engagement. Sixty-Five years of diplomatic relations progressed into a strategic partnership in 2008. An atmosphere of unwavering trust has been established between these two great nations. As Oman commemorates 50 golden years, a nation heralds a new dawn, marking a blessed renaissance under late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the architect of modern Oman, and promising a renewed renaissance under the wise leadership and guidance of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.

The India-Oman strategic partnership will provide tremendous opportunities for both countries in the fields of agriculture, healthcare, infrastructure, tourism, chemicals & fertilizers, education, oil & gas, power, and mining. I strongly believe India could provide a lot of valuable experience in these sectors, and complement enhanced trade collaborations between the two vibrant cultures across the Arabian Sea.

Pankaj Khimji, Co-Chairman Oman-India Joint Business Council

I also welcome the formation of the Omani-Indian Friendship Association. I am confident that this platform will serve matters of mutual interest between the Indian and Omani business and social communities present in the Sultanate and drive our nation’s development, progress, and prosperity and further strengthen the bonds between these nations.

The Oman-India relations are of great importance, perhaps the most important of which are the historical ties spanning hundreds of thousands of years, paving way for cooperation in many areas of growth. Oman and India enjoy close and friendly relations.Inspired by civilisational and historical links thousands of years, both countries have expanded their bilateral cooperation and exchanges since establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Omani authorities have been keen on strengthening relations with successive Indian governments.

Salem Hamad al Jahwari, Journalist and Researcher, International Affairs

The late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos maintained strong relations with India at all levels. The present government led by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, no doubt, will continue this strategic relation. Both countries follow a foreign policy that has many similarities, including non-interference and maintaining good relations with neighbours, and both are respected by other countries in the world. The relations between the Sultanate and India will see further growth with investments in different sectors. Also, the cooperation will help both countries share their experiences through people to people exchanges and knowledgebased programmes.

Growing up in Oman meant that we were always exposed to Indian culture. Take my house for example. My grandma was a fan of Lata Mangeshkar. Part of my childhood memories always involved her playing Lata’s song on a high volume while grandpa was away at work.

Even though my parents grew up in different places in the Gulf, but they always went with their families to watch Hindi movies at the cinema on weekends. This tradition of Hindi movies on weekends continued to my childhood as Oman TV played one every Friday, especially those of Amitabh Bachchan.

It was interesting to learn that Hindi has many Arabic words and that there are a few Hindi words incorporated into the Gulf dialect. It was also fascinating to hear the stories of my parents’ grandparents making the journey to India for either commerce or therapy on wooden boats. Indian dishes influenced our Gulf diet, both, the milder version of it such as in Biryanis and curries, or with an Arabic twist: cheese and za’atar samosas.

Not to mention Indian sweets that we looked forward to receiving from our neighbours when celebrating Diwali (who could say no to a box of Laddus and Barfis?).

Rasha al Raisi, Author and Certified Skills Training

It is certain that India and the Sultanate of Oman have nurtured well their social, cultural, political and economic relationships. This is a historical fact. With the dynamics of the Sultanate’s modern Renaissance and the changes that the country has experienced during the past fifty years, the relation between both countries is set to evolve and expand further.

Both these great nations have a lot to offer to support each other in building stronger bonds that will ensure a continuation of stability and prosperity. As the Sultanate is now embarking towards the 2040 Vision under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Oman is offering ample economic opportunities for potential Indian investors. Equally, India is a vast market that is growing and expanding in quality and size. With the right stimulus, these opportunities can be quickly turned into reality for the benefit of both nations.

Shahswar al Balushi, CEO, Oman Society for Contractors

The Indian Ocean Rim has two lifelong friends: Oman and India. This relationship was always built on a fundamental foundation and that is respect. The earliest contact between the two countries can be traced back to over 5000 years (as archaeological evidence shows). The two neighbors are linked not only by their maritime history and geography, but also by strong cultural and trade exchanges over hundreds of years. The bonds have strengthened multifolds after the dawn of the Renaissance in Hussain Mohammed al Lawati, Oman, as the Indian workforce played a pivotal Executive Director, role in evolving these ties to different levels. Creative Soul Today, Oman is home to over 700,000 Indians who share a warm and cordial relationship with their Omani brothers. Their various mutual interests extend to their common love of Bollywood cinema and Indian cuisine, both of which are extremely popular in the Sultanate. This special relationship with the two countries is seen in every sphere and the 21st century only promises to see a further solidifying of the bonds they share.

Relations between Oman and India are as old as history with their strategic geographical locations, commercial interactions, joint investments and exchanges in cultural and educational fields. India is also an importer of many Omani goods, foremost of which is oil and gas, and Oman is also an important market for India in the world due to their proximity and good relations at the political, economic and investment level. Also, this partnership can result in more joint venture projects that will benefit the peoples of both countries. There are many investment opportunities in Oman’s Vision 2040 which is based on the pillars of the economy and investment in order to have very important returns, through which Oman can achieve many development and investment goals and implement development plans that include economic, industrial, agricultural, mineral and various other sectors. It can also invest in fishing and marine resources. There is no doubt that the Sultanate of Oman, which relies heavily on oil revenues, looks to the future with a different vision over the next twenty years.

Ali al Matani, Columnist

Oman’s potential for tourism, fishing harbours, marine wealth, free zones, and major aluminum, steel and copper plants are opportunities that require vision and courage which the current leadership under His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik will, by God’s will, demonstrate to the world. There are several opportunities for setting up manufacturing of downstream products in Oman with the availability of gas and electricity. Due to its stability and strategic location, Oman also has a high potential to become a hub for higher education in the region with the recent surge in higher education initiatives by the government, of which the Oman Medical College and Caledonian College of Engineering, now under National University of Science & Technology, is one of the forerunners. Oman has always been blessed with natural beauty and a peace-loving people and culture, which I am sure, will continue to attract people and investments from around the world.

P Mohammed Ali, Chairman, National University

Oman and India have enjoyed a relationship which is over thousands of years old. Oman had a maritime relationship during the Indus Valley Civilization. Our generation has heard stories about the wonderful hospitality of the Omani people told by families from Malabar and Gujarat. Maritime trade between Oman and the Malabar Coast compounded this relationship. Beypore and Sur are like twin cities where the dhows are made for Oman. Mappila (Muslim) families of the Malabar Coast of Kerala and Omani families have similar traditions which have been filtered down through generations because of their close interactions. It would be interesting to note that Cheraman Perumal, the king of Kerala, is buried in Salalah. Today Oman is home to my children. No matter which part of the world they travel to, they are the goodwill ambassadors of Oman. The children studying in the Indian schools in Oman go far and wide into the world and they carry with them in their heart the beauty, the happiness, the stability, the peace which is symbolized by the flag of this beautiful country, the Sultanate of Oman.

Ahmed Rayees, President, Indian School, Al Ghubra

The Sultanate of Oman is one of the few Arabian Gulf countries in which traditional medicine including native plants, aromatic gums, honey, wasam, hijama, religious therapy and Prophetic Medicine, has survived modernization of medicine. Because of its geographical location at the apex of major Arabian Gulf sea routes, Oman has a diverse medical history, having been influenced by Indian Hakim and Ayurvedic therapeutics. Many Ayurvedic medicines and therapies were Dr. Dhanya Umanath, practiced in Oman for centuries. Omanis believe Kottakkal Aryavaidyasala in traditional medicine, and Indian Ayurveda is widely accepted in Oman. Many Omani nationals travel to Kerala for Ayurvedic treatment. For the last 30 years, citizens from Oman have travelled to different Ayurveda establishments for various treatments including paralysis, arthritis and other

ailments. Approximately 10-15 % of Omanis travelling to Kerala for medical purposes do so for alternative treatments. Ayurveda is beneficial in many ways, especially the traditional Ayurvedic therapy and herbal medicines. Omanis show preference for traditional therapy and herbs which helps them in muscle and skeletal diseases, neurological and skin diseases, among others.

Trade and investment relations between Oman and India play an important component of their close partnership. Beyond just business relations, Oman and India have had strong people to people ties for several decades. A large portion of Indians consider Oman as their home and Oman’s support and attitude is well appreciated. India and Oman, given the advantage of proximity, connectivity and familiarity with each other’s markets, have great potential for enhancing bilateral trade. Jose Chacko, Forensic and Compliance Indian businesspersons are keen to do more Expert business with Oman in sectors with untapped potential like renewable energy, engineering goods, power equipment, minerals and mining, IT, and pharmaceuticals. Oman is a business-friendly country with flexible commercial laws and a strict compliance framework that is comparable to many advanced countries. The Omani government encourages foreign investment with multiple incentives. Oman has untapped potential in many industries such as tourism, fisheries, logistics, mining, services and manufacturing. Accordingly, the government offers a number of incentives and Free Zones that contribute in developing an investment environment.

A relationship that started a thousand years ago is still fresh and thriving thanks to the strong people to people ties and the visionary leadership of both the countries. India-Oman relations are one of its kind in the region, owing to traditional links and common cultural values shared by both the countries. There is a lot that connects India and Oman, be it food, language, trade, traditions, and common values like tolerance and peaceful co-existence. In a short span of one and a half years, Oman feels like home to me, as I have been blessed to experience the best of warmth and hospitality of

Oman. As I explore this charming country, I am amazed every time by the vastly diverse and sheer natural beauty across sea, sand and mountains that make Oman. Oman can emerge as a favoured destination for tourism from India, owing to its proximity, ease and convenience of travel, economic considerations, and most importantly the safety it offers, to nationals and expatriates alike. The affinity continues to grow as Oman is already a favoured choice for destination weddings from India. As tourism also is a priority for Oman, under Vision 2040, there is a huge potential to further develop ties in this sector. The rise in tourism from India shall further enhance the bond we share.

Dr. Priti Sambhalwal International HR Expert & Educationist

The Oman-India Friendship Association (OIFA) established by the Oman Government is another ground-breaking step towards enhancement of people to people ties. The edifice of strong bilateral partnership between India and Oman stands on the foundation provided by close people to people contact over past millennia and institutions like OIFA will nourish it further.

Oman and India being countries with young populations will reap the benefit of collaboration in the areas of innovation incubation centres, startups, digital services and SME promotion which will go a long way in strengthening the bilateral relationship as well as provide a platform to the youth to achieve their aspirations. Oman and India could also hugely benefit from collaboration with each other in clean energy development. Exploring collaboration areas such as hydrogen fuel, electric cars, renewable energy generation and smart transmission grids could prove to be a good starting point. Alkesh Joshi, MENA Energy Tax Leader, Oman and India have put in place a number Earnest and Young of cooperation agreements to provide a framework to grow and strengthen bilateral relations. Further work in the areas of space, research and development, sports development, cultural exchanges and education, would yield great results in providing an overall framework for further expansion of both the economies.

Oman with its geographical location, friendly people and entrepreneurship focus, could create an ecosystem for the Indian business houses to set up manufacturing facilities in Oman and provide much needed new employment opportunities. Likewise, India could create a favourable environment for the Omani business houses to set up their back office functions in India to optimize the overall cost of doing their business. Certainly, the bilateral tax treaty and investment promotion agreements would need to be reviewed with an approach to making them more favourable for both the countries. All such steps would go a long way in taking the time tested Oman and India relationship forward to even greater heights in the decades and centuries to come.

Over the last few years, there has been a discernible growth in India and Oman’s overall bilateral ties. India and Oman are no longer limited to the traditional commercial and energy (largely oil) trade, but are rapidly expanding to areas such as military and security issues, cyber security, joint investment, infrastructure projects, and science and technology. The inclusion of these elements is gradually making bilateral ties more comprehensive as compared with the recent past. India and Oman have upgraded their bilateral relations to a ‘strategic’ or ‘comprehensive strategic partnership’. As a result, India and Oman have started to place importance on enhancing cooperation in technical sectors, including space cooperation.

Relations between India and Oman have traditionally been strong, with the two countries celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of their establishment of diplomatic ties in 2015. For India, Oman is a crucial ally in West Asia and the partnership provides both strategic and economic benefits. Today, the relationship between the leaders of Oman and India is one based on camaraderie and respect. In addition to economic imperatives, both the Indian and Oman leadership have made strenuous efforts to build better relationships.

While the Governments of Oman and India continue their journey of strengthening their relationship, I strongly believe that the main pillar of this relationship is the people themselves. As we move forward, let us pray for the wellbeing and togetherness, success and prosperity, growth and development of the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of India.

Dr. Anchan C.K, International Expert on Trade, Economy and Investment

India is an important commercial and strategic partner for Oman in the area of joint economic and investment. India has contributed to a number of development projects in Oman, notably in iron and steel, cement, fertilizers, textiles, cables, chemicals and automotive parts. In recent times, countries across the GCC have been faced with revenue pressures due to low oil price and Oman is no different. But the reduced public spending and economic diversification efforts are keeping the growth on a positive trajectory. This upward momentum is expected to come from a modest recovery in oil prices, combined with the effects of ongoing reform efforts and strategies aimed at enhancing nonoil activity. Oman looks to create more private sector jobs and improve productivity through public- private partnership. Achieving these goals in non-oil sectors will also be important for the path to establishing a sustainable, diversified economy. The recently introduced Foreign Investment Law is a major step in this direction, which will attract many investors to Oman because of the 100% ownership route. Oman also gives lot of impetus for agriculture. Certain terrains of India are suitable for large scale farming. Vast expanse of land can be utilised for agriculture and diary farming activity in India by Oman. While this will help India to develop mofussil centres into small townships, Oman can secure their food supply at a reasonably low cost.

Davis Kallukaran, Managing Partner, Crowe Mak Ghazali LLC

Oman and India have thriving links rooted in centuries old people-to-people exchanges founded on economic, religious and cultural interactions. Ever since trade was established as the primary activity that connected the peoples of these friendly nations, relations have become stronger and larger thanks to the strategic location and facilitation of the sea routes that they share. Historically, both countries have remained close to each other and the ties have strengthened after India’s independence. The relations got a further boost in the recent

Ramachandran, CEO, Zawawi Minerals

years with the signing of a number of agreements in different sectors, including health, tourism, education and science and technology. The commercial maritime transport agreement signed in the beginning of 2020 will help accelerate and facilitate the flow of commercial goods between the two countries and encourage cooperation between commercial fleets. The two countries have also shown considerable interest in expanding bilateral ties in the new areas of cooperation such as cyber security, outer space and renewable energy. This historic friendship between Oman and India will continue to flourish through more partnerships in several other fields and provide opportunities for peoples of both these two great nations.

As Oman is known to be a mesmerizing country for its extreme stunning beauty, so is India with its vast breathtaking sights and sheer variety that astonishes every visitor to the country. While Oman is full of many beautiful places that offer both contemporary activities along with views of deserts, mountain ranges, beautifully restored castles, architecture, and more, India is a land of history with ancient temples and festivals, royal cities, sacred rivers, mountain glaciers and a dizzying array of stunning landscapes. I have been privileged to make frequent visits to India and capture glimpses of this incredible Abdulaziz al Shukeili, country. Indeed, I have seen several fascinating Omani photographer similarities between the two countries whether it is in heritage or Islamic architecture, the exceptional cuisine, attractive costume or even in the cordial ambience. A testimony to the strength of relations between Oman and India is the large Indian community living in Oman and the number of Omanis visiting India for different purposes. As Indians in Oman say that the Sultanate is their second home, I always feel comfortable in India during my stay there. I wish the ties between these two great countries flourish by leap and bounds.

Al Omaniya Financial Services SAOG

Demonstrating excellence in a range of financial products

Al Omaniya Financial Services headquarters in Ruwi

Al Omaniya Financial Services (AOFS) SAOG was incorporated by a group of corporate houses led by Bank Muscat to take over its retail asset finance business. A preferred financial services provider, AOFS has carved a distinct niche and surpassed many milestones. Over two decades, the company has built up total assets in excess of RO 243 million with a satisfied customer base of over 108,000. AOFS has completed 24 years of successful operations as a Non-Banking Financial Institution, offering a comprehensive range of financial products.

The company has established a strong market presence with good systems and processes crossing many significant milestones. It continues to demonstrate its excellence in its business strategies as a leading player in the country by offering a diverse range of products and services. AOFS regularly monitors the product mix to ensure a balanced risk portfolio, leading to top line growth, enhanced revenues and to insulate the business from rate sensitivities. The company’s services have the unique attributes of speed, transparency, quick response, empathy, understanding customer concerns and ethical fair practices. The company endeavours itself to build products and services around customer needs. The deliverables of simple documentation, quick credit approvals, competitive interest rates and other value added services have created a large satisfied clientele. Al Omaniya has scooped up several awards

and ‘Number 1’ titles consistently for many years.

AOFS has been rated number one Non-Banking Financial Institution by ‘Business Today and Ernst & Young Survey’ for 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012. The company has been awarded the Best SME for 2001 and also was awarded as one of the top performing companies across all sectors in the midcap segment during 2010 and 2011.

Aftab Patel, CEO, received the ‘Best Enterprise’ Award in 2014 from the prestigious Europe Business Assembly (EBA) in an event held at Oxford, United Kingdom.

The company operates in three verticals. These are retail asset finance providing loans for acquisition of vehicles to salaried and self-employed individuals, providing asset finance, equipment leases, working capital loans, bill discounting, debt factoring, bridge finance, project loans, construction loans for warehouse and factories for large corporate business houses. Also included are SMEs in all sectors of the economy and consumer loans for white and brown goods for salaried and selfemployed individuals.

Aftab Patel, CEO, Al Omaniya Financial Services

Al Omaniya was the only Non-Banking Financial Institution in the country to be globally rated and assigned a global scale corporate family credit rating of ‘Ba3’ by Moody’s Investors Service. Al Omaniya Financial Services has the unique distinction of having paid dividend every single year since its inception. So far we have paid a cumulative dividend of 450.33%. The company is led by a visionary board, with nine eminent personalities and business heads in Oman and an experienced team of highly qualified senior management who have sailed the company to today’s position.

The Board members are renowned and distinguished businessmen and dignitaries. Majority of them have been holding board membership in the company for over two decades.Khalid Said Al Wahaibi is the Chairman of the Board of Directors, who is also an eminent businessman having the distinction of being the longest serving Chairman of any public company in the Sultanate.Other members of the Board include eminent personalities like Sheikh Khalid Mustahil Al Mashani, Deputy Chairman, who also holds Chairmanship of some of the largest financial institutions

in the country. The others are Ibrahim Said Al Wahaibi, Zaki Hassan Al Naseeb, K K Abdul Razak, Sheikh Tariq Salim Mustahil Al Mashani, Brig. Gen. Saif Salim Saif Al Harthi, Shikar Bipin Dharamsey Nensey and Ketan Dinkarrai Vasa.

Al Omaniya’s philosophy has always been to maintain good quality loan book and the company has been consistently maintaining this over many years successfully. The company’s non-performing portfolio is the lowest in the financial services industry. They continue to operate in the top end of the market and ensures high quality loan book. The company reached its leading position in the industry after undergoing many business cycles under challenging economic circumstances. AOFS also capitalised every single growth opportunity with its enviable strengths namely, sound and innovative capital structure, superior service to its customers, novel integrated business model, good provisioning for impairment, timely product diversification and highly automated IT real time systems and processes.

The high volatility in oil prices and foreseeing the situation of tighter liquidity, the company had strengthened itself by keeping its cash collections in deposits which helped to maintain strong liquidity in the current situation. AOFS could do selective quality business in periods of uncertainty and address the deferment needs of all customers. The focus is on maintaining robust collection and reduced nonperforming loan and cash conservation by reducing and eliminating unnecessary expenditure. This would augur well for the company and as when the economy picks up and are ready to utilise the opportunity.

Excerpts from an interview with Aftab Patel Q: How do you foresee the company prospects for 2021?

A: This has been a period of unpredictability and uncertainty. We are sailing through uncharted waters. The economic recovery would at best happen in phases and it will most likely be a ‘W’ curve and we do not see a sharp ‘V’ curved recovery or growth. The idea of normal life would actually be a ‘New Normal’ and there would be a new shift in thinking, changes in social behaviours and cultural norms. There would be new business practices which have to be absorbed and learnt with more emphasis on digital platforms and lesser human interaction. The businesses have to redefine their business models, revamp their operating practices to grow more on digital platforms, automation, Artificial Intelligence and Robotisation and have to build internal controls and risk management practices to safeguard and mitigate the associated risks and challenges. We have initiated several studies to develop strategies to strengthen and align our business with necessary physical and digital infrastructure for the expectant new normalcy. We expect 2021 to be an extremely challenging year and the legacy issues of 2020 will continue to pose difficulties, however we do see a ‘W’ shaped recovery with the imminent arrival of the vaccine for COVID. We are cautiously optimistic for 2021.

Q: Are there any changes or trends in lifestyle loans over the years?

A: Lifestyle was launched with an idea of making the dreams come true by the way of easy acquisition of consumer durables with quick and easy approvals. The product was a runaway success and was immensely popular with the people. The product really came with a breath of fresh air and was wholeheartedly embraced by our customers. Over the period of several years we have continued to build over the product and it has evolved to match with the changes in customer’s needs. We have been on the forefront to understand those changes in the customer’s needs both apparent and aspirational. Our ticket size of the loan has grown and we cater to the wide spectrum of customers across the Sultanate. We have tie-ups with various blue chip employers in the country and offer attractive schemes from time to time. The product continues to be very popular and we have fairly large market share in the segment.

Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your business?

A: The global COVID-19 pandemic has forever changed our experience. As a corporate entity, employers, employees, citizens and humans, our attitudes and behaviours and outlook are changing. This time period has presented an opportunity to reinvent and to build capacities and competencies, to be more on digital platforms like B-to-C and B-to-B, more data driven, to have more variable cost structures, agile operations and creating more automation with enhanced security layers. We certainly became a more caring and a more sensitive organization and started understanding values beyond what can be quantified in an income statement or a balance sheet. Values stronger than money. The mantra therefore is adapt and readapt, create, recreate, invent, reinvent and embrace the change or be left behind.

Q: What are your immediate plans concerning the Oman market?

A: Al Omaniya offers a wide range of product and services and cater to all segments of the GDP from consumer, retailing, manufacturing and services. The major segment we cover are hospitality, education, health services and utilities. We started primarily as a car finance company, diversifying into micro finance and moving on to SME’s and large corporates. We provide a variety of loan products which include working capital loans of all tenors, bridge financing, construction loans (warehouse and factory) and for acquisition of fixed assets. The company always adapts itself to the changing environment easily and quickly. We always keep ourselves abreast of market conditions and position ourselves on an ongoing basis to utilize every opportunity to meet the customer needs and deliver our products in a convenient and competitive manner.

We have actively moved into large syndicate financing with consortium of banks. We will continue to focus on this area and we are the only NBFC to partner the banks.

Asian Paints Middle East LLC

Bringing colours to life

His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, the then Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, innaugurating Asian Paints factory in Ghala, 2000

Asian Paints Ltd is one of the largest paint companies in the world. The company started its operations in 1942 in Mumbai, India. Today, Asian Paints Ltd along with its subsidiaries, has operations in 22 countries globally, with 27 paint manufacturing facilities serving consumers in 65 countries.

The company sells its products under various brands such as asianpaints, APCO, Taubmans, SCIB Paints, ‘asianpaintsBERGER,’ ‘asianpaintsKADISCO,’ and ‘asianpaintsCAUSEWAY.’ The company has diversified beyond paints and entered the home décor segment with acquisition of brands like ‘Sleek’ in the kitchen space, ‘ESS-ESS’ in the chrome fitting segment, and ‘Bath Sense’ range of sanitary-ware fittings. The company has revolutionised the retailing space by bringing in innovative retailing formats such as ‘Beautiful Homes’ by Asian Paints in South Asia markets and ‘Décor Lounge’ retailing format in the Middle East.

Décor Lounge retailing in Oman

Asian Paints Middle East LLC was set up in the Sultanate of Oman in 1999 as a joint venture between Asian Paints Limited and Al Hassan Group of Companies. The company opened its factory in Ghala in 2000, which was inaugurated by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, who was the then Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Asian Paints Middle East LLC was one of the largest investments by Asian Paints Ltd outside India at that point in time. It was also the company’s first green field venture in the Middle East. In other GCC markets such as the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, Asian Paints entered through acquisitions. In December 2015, the company inaugurated its new manufacturing facility at Suhar,

which is one of the largest paint manufacturing facilities in the GCC. The new factory covers a total land area of around 50,000 sq metres. Its state-of-the-art facility is designed and equipped to produce an array of high performance, environmentfriendly and durable coatings, finishes and other paint products. In effect, the plant has the potential to serve as a hub for exports across the entire GCC. The company is committed to sustainable development with minimal impact on the environment and

is focussed upon the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. To this end the company has put up a solvent extraction unit to extract the excess solvent and to reuse it. It has also put in systems to maximise the reuse of water in the factory and to minimise the usage of power.

Asian Paints Middle East LLC prioritises the health and safety of its employees, service partners, the communities and the customers. This is done by implementing ‘safe design’ practices at every step of the process, and by creating a culture of safety in the organization. The products and processes have been re-engineered to be environment friendly. Its three-fold safety policy advocates zero accidents, zero occupational illness and zero incidents of property damage. Overall, Asian Paints is strongly committed to quality and its plant is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified.

Asian Paints puts special emphasis on employee development. Training programmes provided by the company not only opens the way for new recruits to join the company at the entry level, but also helps existing staffs acquire new skillsets to advance their careers. Over the last two decades, the company has grown and become a significant player in the paint market in Oman, providing many employment opportunities in the country.

The company’s success lies in its unrelenting focus on R&D and in understanding its customers’ needs. In 2005, Asian Paints Middle East LLC introduced the ‘Dealer Tinting System’ to the retail network. This helped the retailers to provide the colour of their choice in various gloss or sheen levels across the various price points to the

Unveiling new brand identity, ‘Asian Paints Berger’ in 2019

customers. This initiative also helped the retailers to manage their inventory levels.

The company launched the retailing format Décor Lounge in Oman in 2017. This format has an experiential zone and a transaction zone for the customers. It is a oneof-a-kind creative space designed for the consumers to explore the world of paints and colour in an authentic setting; where they can delve into infinite possibilities of shades, colours, textures and tones offered by Asian Paints. The Décor Lounge is manned by well-trained shop consultants, who can guide the customers in all their needs of paints and paint applications. This new retailing format was well accepted by the retail network in Oman, and the company has rolled out the Décor Lounge formats across the nation to serve its customers’ needs.

The company introduced a unique shade collection ‘Colours of Arabia’ to the market, which has resonated well with the special needs of the Omani customers. During the last three-year period, the company introduced innovative products such as Royale Atmos Healthshield, Royale Bling and Royale Smart Clean in the interior category and Weathercoat and TUFF in the exterior category. The Royale Atmos Healthshield launched in 2019, offers a combination of silver ion and activated charcoal protection. It also kills 99% germs on contact. The Royale Bling, a high sheen interior topcoat with advanced stain guard, was launched in 2020 and offers a 10-year performance warranty, the first of its kind in the entire GCC region.

In March 2019, the company unveiled its new brand identity, ‘Asian Paints Berger’, with a new positioning that enshrines the principles of ‘Innovation, Inspiration and

Partnership’ in its product offers, as well as in its relationships with channel partners and customers. It symbolises a bold new commitment to Oman with emphasis on the distinctive cultural richness and values of the country. In essence, it places Omani customer interests and preferences at the core of its corporate philosophy and marketing strategy.

Joseph Pulikottil, General Manager, Asian Paints Middle East LLC, says, “In the two decades since we set up operations in the Sultanate of Oman, we have found ourselves on a solid growth trajectory, not only in terms of our steady market penetration, but also in the robust uptake of our product offerings. In this warm and welcoming country, we owe our continuing success to our innovative range of paints and coatings, while being cost-competitive and environment friendly.”

Rahul Bhatnagar, CEO, Asian Paints International Private Ltd (APIPL), added, “Although we are a predominantly Indian owned player, our local venture has evolved over the years to embrace Omani ethos and values – traits that are reflected in our business philosophy and product offerings. Asian Paints is guided by a steadfast commitment to quality and sustainability, which is now the hallmark of our local operations.”

Joseph Pulikottil, GM, Asian Paints Middle East LLC

Rahul Bhatnagar, CEO, Asian Paints International Private Ltd

Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals

Affordable, available and accessible quality healthcare services

From a humble beginning as a small polyclinic back in 2002, Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals is today the largest private healthcare group in the Sultanate of Oman. Their story as one of the most trusted healthcare brand finds its meaning from an inspirational journey. Badr Al Samaa has also become the most recognized and household name in the Arabian Gulf region.

The Group in every stage of its successful journey has set high standards in Oman’s private healthcare sector. Their success lies in its more than a decade-and-a-half legacy of providing good and uncompromised quality healthcare services supported by its three important underlying attributes of Affordability, Availability and Accessibility (AAA). A dream of giving birth to private healthcare services which addresses the growing healthcare needs based on value system led its three founderdirectors, Mr Abdul Latheef, Dr P A Mohammed and Dr V T Vinod to start Badr Al Samaa Group from a Polyclinic in Ruwi, about 18 years back in 2002.

Fighting the challenges and capitalising the opportunities, Badr Al Samaa Group has thrived and become a name to be reckoned with-in Oman’s private healthcare domain. Starting new specialities, introducing new technologies, reaching out to far off

places by setting up medical centres and hospitals, Badr Al Samaa gradually became a household name for quality healthcare in Oman.

During last one-and-a-half decade of its existence, the group witnessed a phenomenal growth and emerged as the Sultanate’s largest private healthcare provider as well as the Oman’s most trusted hospital brand. The growth of Badr Al Samaa Group however did not confine to Oman; it started spreading its wings to many other countries in GCC namely Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar and became a multi-national group rendering quality healthcare services in more than 25 specialities having more than 10 medical centres and 7 hospitals. Ably led by its three founder-directors, Mr Abdul Latheef, Dr P A Mohammmed and Dr V T Vinod the group currently employs over 700 doctors and 3,000 staff members across GCC.

Affordability, Availability and Accessibility

Badr Al Samaa has carved a niche for itself by achieving a synthesis of Affordability, Accessibility and Availability of quality healthcare services. Badr Al Samaa realizes that healthcare is a need and one in need should have no reason to be deprived from availing the services. This is one of the reasons that services are priced affordably, accessibility is ensured by reaching out to people with new medical centres and hospitals and availability of more and more services and facilities is ensured at every location.

This approach and way of operation has ensured Badr Al Samaa to become more accepted and a cherished healthcare brand. With the growing demand for healthcare service in Oman, the private healthcare sector witnessed unprecedented growth during the last few years and the demand for specialised care has increased the introduction of private players in the Sultanate. However, despite many new entrants in the sector, Badr Al Samaa has continued to sustain its growth momentum and leadership by providing quality healthcare and compassionate services at affordable price to millions of people in the region and making all specialty services available.

Quality services have been the cornerstone of Badr Al Samaa Group’s success story and it is one of many areas which has never been compromised because it believes

that a well-treated and satisfied patient becomes the ambassador of care and empathy. The hospitals have implemented strong protocols in every level of operations and every quality indicator set is gauged for deviances and corrective actions regularly. What we claim, we are committed to deliver. Badr Al Samaa regularly organizes in-house training programmes for its various department staff to ensure that sustainable and quality healthcare services are delivered.

Quality benchmarked with global standards

The hospital also raised the quality of services on par with world standards. The group’s commitment towards superior quality in patient care and public trust is evident in the various recognitions that the hospital received, including the accreditation by the Joint Commission International (JCI) USA to its hospitals in Ruwi and Al Khoudh.

The JCI is one of the leading global certification bodies in the healthcare sector and its accreditation focuses on quality of clinical and non-clinical operations and identifies measures and shares best practices in quality and patient safety. The Group is also accredited by Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and World Health Organization.

Badr Al Samaa was honoured by the Ministry of Health for best practices in infection control and hand hygiene across its 10 establishments. Exceptional patient service coupled with global quality standards helped Badr Al Samaa Group of Hospitals to win Oman’s Most Trusted Brand Award for four consecutive years from 2016 to 2019. The group currently operates a chain of medical establishments in major parts of the country, and currently has six state-of-the-art hospitals and five medical centres located at Ruwi, Al Khuwair, Al Khoudh, Suwaiq, Suhar, Barka, Sur, Salalah, Nizwa, Falaj al Qabail and Duqum.

Flagship Hospital at Suhar

In August, 2020 Badr Al Samaa Group launched its flagship hospital in Suhr in Wilayat of Al Batinah North. This advanced facility is a boon to the people of the adjoining areas like Buraimi, Shinas, Liwa, Saham, Al Khaboura, Al Suwaiq, who now need not have to travel long distances for quality healthcare. This is one of the few facilities in private healthcare of the Sultanate which, from scratch, is purposely built to be a hospital. This facility is built adhering to the Ministry of Health, Oman and Joint Commission International (JCI, USA) benchmarks and protocols. Featuring state-of-the-art surgical facility, emergency department, IPD wing and advanced diagnostic centre, the hospital is staffed by well qualified and experienced physicians and other clinical staff who are committed to provide compassionate care.

The hospital houses 5 Modular Operation Theatres, 20 Critical Care Beds (MICU, NICU, SICU, and CCU), 13 bedded fully fledged emergency, 7 dialysis beds among other advanced facility. The hospital plans to add a Cath Lab, CT scan,

MRI, Lithotripsy, Mammography, Stroke ICU and many other advanced facilities soon. The main specialties in the group are Cardiology, Neurology, Neuro Surgery, Gastroenterology, Urology, Nephrology and Dialysis, Neonatology, Joint Replacements and Arthroscopic Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Hi-Tech Laboratory, Advanced Radiology providing services of MRI & Cardiac MRI, CT scan, Mammography, Bone Densitometry, Lithotripsy, OPG and 24-Hour Ambulance Services and many other services and modalities. The group has top of the line surgical facilities and advanced Cath Lab. The group is launching its medical centre in December 2020 which is yet another reason for their claim on being the most accessible healthcare provider in Oman. The group is soon coming up with a stateof-the-art medical centre at Mabella which has provision of expanding to a hospital in the near future. Apart from all important specialities, this centre will house a modern IVF unit to treat infertility.

Exemplary contribution in fight against COVID-19

Being the largest private healthcare group, Badr Al Samaa has been at the forefront of fighting COVID-19 by doing all possible services namely screening, testing and treatment in not just their own location but managed many make-shift COVID facilities established by the Ministry of Health. Badr Al Samaa has treated hundreds of COVID cases successfully. The recovery rate is more than 99% across its group. The group has been really supportive of underprivileged patients who are unable to afford the treatment at a private facility. In such cases, treatment to a large number of patients is made free or heavy discounts on the bills were given.The group has always favoured life over any other materialistic thing. For the convenience and safety of the patients; Badr Al Samaa Group launched many initiatives during the pandemic like first of its kind professional level video consultation services in all specialities of every centre of their group. Apart from this, the Hospital in association with Apex Laboratory launched home sample collection services in all 10 locations, where Badr Al Samaa Group is present. These initiatives are over and above the most advanced patient safety protocols, which are maintained inside their healthcare facilities.

Bharat Electronics Limited

BEL: India’s leading defence electronics company creating global footprints

Akash air defence missile system

Guided by a farsighted vision to make the country self-reliant in defence electronics, Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) was set up in Bengaluru in 1954 by the Government of India under the Ministry of Defence (MoD). From a humble beginning, BEL has come a long way and is now a Navratna PSU (Public Sector Undertaking) and India’s foremost defence electronics company. BEL is one of the most trusted and credible organization of India.

The latest example of BEL’s credibility is, when the country needed its services most in its war against COVID-19 crisis, BEL manufactured and supplied over 30,000 numbers of ICU ventilators in around 100 days, adding another feather to its cap.

BEL is a multi-product, multi-technology, multi-unit conglomerate having products in the areas of radars, missile systems, military communications, naval systems, electronic warfare and avionics, C4I Systems, Electro optics, tank electronics and gun/weapon system upgrades and electronic fuses in the defence segment. BEL’s non-defence business segment includes areas such as Electronic Voting Machines

(EVMs), Homeland Security and Smart Cities, Solar, Satellite Integration and Space Electronics, Railways, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Software as a Service, Energy Storage Products, besides Composite Shelters and Masts. BEL’s customers include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Paramilitary Force, Police, state government departments and consumers of professional electronic components.

The Company has a three-layer R&D setup comprising Central Research Labs at Bengaluru and Ghaziabad for carrying out futuristic, cutting-edge research, Product Development & Innovation Centre at Bengaluru for development of various sub-systems/products and D&E Divisions at its Units and SBUs for development of systems and products. R&D has been the main focus area of BEL for increasing indigenisation and value addition in its products or systems. The total investment on R&D as a percentage of turnover during 2019-20 was 7.5%, one of the highest among Indian defence PSUs. About 50% of BEL’s engineers are employed in R&D work.

Weapon Locating Radar (WLR)

BEL posted a turnover of US$1.7 billion during the Financial Year 2019-20. BEL has achieved a CAGR of 13.7% in the last 5 years. The Company is expected to grow in top line by 12-15% during the current financial year. BEL’s order book as on November 1, 2020 is around $7.12 billion. BEL has been consistent in order acquisition year-on-year. BEL is fast expanding its global presence, putting its best foot forward to give a thrust to exports worldwide. All-out efforts are being made to tap new markets across the globe. In a bid to develop new markets in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), BEL has operationalised overseas marketing offices in the Sultanate of Oman, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. BEL has also expanded its Singapore and New York Regional Offices to handle marketing activities. The government is encouraging defence exports through many policy initiatives and has set a target of US$ 4.7 billion by 2024-25. BEL has identified Exports and Offsets as one of its thrust areas and has

drawn up plans to offer its select products and systems to various export markets.

BEL has been exporting products such as Communication Systems, Coastal Surveillance System, Missile Systems, Radars, Electronic Warfare Systems, Electro Optic Systems and Electro Optic Fire Control Systems, Radar Finger Printing System, Naval Systems, Radar Warning Receivers, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and various other equipment to USA, UK, Russia, Italy, Brazil, Germany, France, Israel, Indonesia, Honduras, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa and many other friendly countries. BEL achieved export sales of $48.59 million during FY 2019-20. Some of the other products and systems which are being promoted for exports include Homeland Security solutions, Smart City solutions, Border Protection systems and Coastal Surveillance System. Having established a Coastal Surveillance System (CSS) for a few neighbouring countries, BEL is interacting with Ministry of External Affairs for supply of CSS to other friendly countries.

BEL is also focusing on offset as a potential avenue for revenue generation. BEL is interacting with many foreign OEMs to meet Offset obligations in various RFPs of the MoD, on account of the offset policy incorporated in the Defence Procurement Procedure. BEL has identified contract manufacturing (build to print and build to spec) for foreign OEMs and partnerships in the form of Transfer of Technology of the latest systems and solutions as areas of emerging export opportunities. Efforts are also on to establish long term supply chain relationship with global players.

The company has put in efforts for increasing its business opportunities in South East Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and North America through constant engagement with customers and is also working closely with other Indian companies and local partners in the respective countries as part of maximising its geo-strategic reach and increase its global footprint.

Coastal Surveillance System (CSS)

BEL Regional Office Desk at KOM, Muscat

In pursuit to explore the defence and civilian products or projects export market in the Sultanate and GCC countries, BEL commenced its regional office operations from Knowledge Oasis Muscat (KOM), Muscat from July 1, 2019. With a modest beginning of having a small team to begin with, BEL is planning big for the future projects. BEL is already in discussion with local authorities for Smart City Projects, prestigious defence tenders and is in the early stage of launching innovative product

of Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) with local partners. AWG is very innovative and cost effective means of water generation from the moist air having its application for the households, offices, institutions and large organizations. We believe that, this product will bring a sea change in the country for the dependency of the masses on bottled potable water. With the end of Corona pandemic in sight soon, we see revival of economic activities in full swing and hope to make good progress on all the existing and upcoming opportunities. We are sure that our presence in the Sultanate will help to further better quality of life of the citizens and residents, with our innovative and cost effective products and solutions. We hope that it will also add strength to our millennia old relationship with Oman, based on mutual trust.

Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)

Future outlook

The prevailing turbulence in the global business environment has been impacting business and posing a major threat for growth. To combat the risks associated, BEL is foraying into new business areas and keeping pace with the fast changing technological advancements, besides enhancing operational efficiency.

BEL is targeting a healthy growth of 12%-15% during 2020-21. Segments like Radar and Missile Systems, Communication and Network Centric systems, AntiSubmarine Warfare and Sonar Systems, Tank Electronics, Gun Upgrades, Electro Optic systems and Electronic Warfare and Avionics systems will continue to drive the company’s growth in the coming years. BEL has always focused on enhancing its capabilities and competitiveness through indigenisation, diversification, continuous modernisation, creating world-class facilities for R&D, Testing, Production, Skill Development and outsourcing to Indian industries with increased thrust on MSME sectors. In the non-defence segment BEL is pursuing business in various fields including Energy Storage Products like e-vehicle charging stations, solar, network and cyber security, railways and metro solutions, airports solutions, EVMs, telecom products, PNVDs, medical electronics, composites and software solutions.

BEL is also working on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data Analytics, Internet of Things, 5G Wireless Communication, Robotics and Computer vision, Augmented and Virtual Reality, Quantum Cryptography under R&D collaboration with academia and start-ups to address both local and global emerging markets.

Global Money Exchange Company

Expanding network and quality customer service

Global Money Exchange headquarters in Ruwi

Global Money Exchange Company (GMEC) LLC which began in April 2002, is today a recognised name in the Sultanate. The company has a reputation for reliability, innovation and quality customer service.

Promoted by His Excellency Shaikh Abdulmalik Abdullah Ali Al Khalili, Chairman of State Council, and former Chairman of Oman's largest commercial bank, Bank Muscat, Global Money is managed by State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest commercial bank.

K S Subromoniyan, Managing Director of Global Money Exchange Company says, “The 50th National Day of Renaissance is the epitome of goodness and grace of the Sultanate’s deep-rooted history. The nation continues its triumphant march, diversifying the revenue resources and creating fresh jobs for citizens of Oman. A big salute to His Majesty Sultan Haitam bin Tarik for carrying forward the

flag of Oman’s Modern Renaissance with the collaboration of loyal Omani people for ‘Oman Vision 2040,’ which forms tangible reality and constitutes an influential entity in world civilization.”

Amit Talukder, General Manager of Global Money Exchange says, “We remember late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the visionary leader of this nation who laid a resilient road to help this journey of progress. With the blessed Renaissance under the wise leadership of His Majesty, the Sultanate has been committed to tackling the toughest development challenges. Oman’s endeavours have been to transform the country into an exceptional place in terms of development and understanding, thanks to the mission of the devoted leadership of the country and its friendly people.” “Every single customer is important to us, and we strive to establish a mutually satisfactory relationship with each of them. Global Money Exchange is recognizable by our team of dedicated staff, providing excellent services, and ensuring safer and speedier remittances at all our branches” says Amit who is presently on deputation from State Bank of India.

Shaikh Abdulmalik Abdullah Ali Al Khalili, Chariman, Global Money Exchange K S Subromoniyan, MD, Global Money Exchange Amit Talukder, GM, Global Money Exchange

The main hallmarks of Global Money Exchange Company concern its every expanding network, Digitalisation, Foreign Currency Operations, Operations at Airports, Remittance Facility (Airports), Global Flash, Passport Renewal Services, Remittance to Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board, Domestic and International Mobile Recharge, Global Freedom and HR Development & Training. During the COVID-19

pandemic, Global Money Exchange launched Global Freedom for its customers. It is a Money Transfer App for sending money online. The procedure is simple as one has to follow simple steps to register, login in, add beneficiary and send money. The portal also offers various facilities like Beneficiary Management, Exchange Rate, Fund Transfer, Order Currency and Transaction Enquiry. Customers can download the app from Playstore and Appstore. WU.Com remittance using the Mobile application of Western Union is also available at all the branches of Global Money Exchange, and a large number of customers are using this application today. Global Money has exclusive rights in Oman for the WU.Com Mobile application remittance service.

India

State Bank of India HDFC Bank Federal Bank Eastern Bank Limited Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited Social Islami Bank Limited

Pakistan

National Credit & Commerce Bank

Meezan Bank Allied Bank of Pakistan United Bank Limited National Bank of Pakistan Agrani Bank Limited Dutch-Bangla Bank Limited The City Bank

Nepal

J S Bank Limited

Himalayan Bank Sri Lanka Nepal SBI Bank Limited Commercial Bank of Ceylon Philippines Sampath Bank RCBC Savings Bank DFCC Bank Banco De Oro

Indonesia Egypt

PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) Banque du Caire (BDC)

International Money Transfer Agents

Western Union EzRemit

Xpress Money TransFast

Instant Cash Ria Money MoneyGram Al Ansari Cash Express Besides direct arrangements, the Company ensures fast remittance services to all banks in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

As part of delivering excellent services to its customers across the country, GMEC continues to expand its network. At present, Global Money has 53 branches, including five kiosks at the Muscat International Airport and one at the Duqm International Airport. The Company has branches in Khasab, Musandam Governorate and in Al Mazyona in Dhofar Governorate. As part of Company's

social responsibility, branches are being opened at remote locations of the nation with the opening of its 53rd branch at Sunyanah in December 2019.

Foreign Currency Exchange facility is available at all the branches of Global Money. All major currencies are exchanged at very competitive rates. GME is the only domestic company which has presence at the Muscat International Airport. Three kiosks are functioning in the departure area and two in the arrival area to effectively serve the public at large. These counters are working 24 and seven days a week and all currencies are exchanged at affordable rates.Global Money's personnel posted at the airports (Muscat and Duqm) are well-trained to provide better and quicker services to the travelers. Today, Global Money is the only exchange company providing currency exchange facility at the Duqm International Airport.

Global Flash is an instant credit facility available at the branches. Under this facility immediate credit is given to the beneficiary’s account. The specialty is that this facility is available 24 hours, seven days a week.The Indian community in interior wilayats like Khasab, Duqm, Buraimi, Shinas, Ibri, Nizwa, Sur, Sohar and Salalah Souq have been largely benefited due to GMEC which provides this service at selected branches. GMEC also exclusively provides remittance to Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board to NRIs from Kerala for new registration and payment of monthly subscription through all its branches. Global Money also has made arrangements with the service providers Ooredoo and Ding. Recharge and top-up facilities are available at all its branches in Oman. Postpaid bills of Ooredoo are also accepted at its branches. There is also a hassle-free online remittance facility of Global Money Exchange called Global Freedom. Under this facility, customers can send money without visiting the branches.

More details are available on the website www.globalmoneyexchange.net. A large number of customers are currently using this facility as it also offers best rates like all other facilities of Global Money. The Company has two in-house Training Centres located in Ruwi and in Misfa. Misfa Centre is exclusively for training its local staff. Training covers topics such as marketing, customer service, AML/KYC, major standard operating procedures, and behavioral science. A large number of tie-ups with Banks and International Money Transfer Agents have been made since 2002 with a view to provide better and efficient service to its customers.

As GMEC looks ahead, the company has always been at the forefront of making significant contributions to the market through various innovative steps aimed at serving the public at large. In a bid to further exploit the modern technology and serve today’s growing number of tech-savvy customers, Global Money Exchange is exploring the scope of introducing a spectrum of customer-friendly services including e-solutions such as e-wallets, foreign travel cards after receiving necessary regulatory approvals.The Ruwi Main Branch of Global Money Exchange House will be shifting to a more convenient and spacious premises soon and the head office housed at the Penthouse.

Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel LLC

A brand projecting ‘Made in Oman’ on world map

Jindal Shadeed Iron and Steel LLC is the 4th largest steel maker in Arabian Peninsula and has contributed in converting Oman from a net importer of steel to a net exporter of steel. JSIS is a fully integrated and largest steel plant in Oman, located at Suhar with a total investment of $1.2 billion. The Sultanate, under the wise and most admirable leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik Al Said has embraced steel as a bridge that continues to fast-track the nation’s incredible industrialization and modernisation drives in recent times.

Aligned with the vision of His Majesty to reduce the country’s dependency on the oil and gas sector - Jindal Shadeed is proud to be a key partner in this prestigious endeavour and committed to producing ‘Steel... that bridges your trust.’ Jindal Shadeed Iron & Steel (JSIS Oman) was acquired by JSPL in July 2010. Soon after the takeover, the gas based Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) plant was commissioned in December 2010. JSIS plant is in a prime location in a plot of 120 hectares, about 60 metres from sea shore and very near to Muscat-Dubai Highway. The total steel production by JSIS in year 2019 was 1.89 Million MT which is 79% of total steel production in Oman.Jindal Steel & Power Limited (JSPL), part of the $22 billion OP Jindal

Naveen Jindal, Chairman, JSPL Group

Group, is an industrial powerhouse with a dominant presence in steel, power, mining and infrastructure sectors. JSPL’s business operations span across the states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Jharkhand in India, where it operates some of India’s most advanced steel manufacturing and power generation capacities of global scale. JSPL has created cutting-edge capacities to produce up to 9.95 Million Tonne Per Annum (MTPA) Iron through a judicious mix of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), Blast Furnace and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) routes catering to its 11.6 MTPA Liquid Steelmaking capacities across the locations in India and abroad. The company has a well-spread out installed finished steel capacity of 6.55 MTPA prudently spread over Bar Mills, Plate Mills, Rail and Universal Beam Mill (RUBM), Medium & Light Structural Mill (MLSM), and Wire Rod Mill. JSPL’s captive iron ore mines at Tensa, Odisha have a production capacity of 3.11 MTPA.

The company owns and operates combined power generation capacities of 5034 MW including the 3,400 MW OP Jindal Super Thermal Power complex at Tamnar, Chhattisgarh. JSPL has pioneered production of Hot Rolled Parallel Flange Beams and Columns in India. The company also introduced world’s longest 121-metre long rails and is the first to manufacture Head Hardened Rails for high-speed trains and metros in India. The company’s plate mill at Angul is capable of producing 5-metre-wide plates, the widest in the world. JSPL’s global operations include a 2.4 MTPA integrated steel complex at Suhar, Oman and 6.6 MTPA coal-mining operations spread

across South Africa, Mozambique and Australia. The company’s African presence also includes coal and iron ore prospects in South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon and Namibia.

Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Plant:

It operates a 1.8 MTPA gas based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) Plant that makes Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI) and Hot DRI (HDRI). The DRI Furnace is supplied by Midrex Technologies, USA. The furnace is first of its kind having a Hot Direct Charging Technology through gravity feed. This facility enables to charge HDRI at a temperature of around 600-650 C directly in to Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) resulting in saving of heat energy. DR Tower is one of the largest in Midrex plant with 148m elevation and 3rd fastest DRI Plant to achieve 10 million tonnes.

Steel Melt Shop:

The SMS facilities primarily consists of: A) Primary Steel making unit: A state of art 200 ton Electric Arc Furnace to produce Liquid Steel. It uses Direct Hot charging facility of HDRI B) Secondary Metallurgical Processes: one 200 Tonne Ladle Furnace: The ladle furnace is used to heat up, refine, hold and to finish all kinds of molten metals. Heating is done by Graphite electrodes 200 Tonne Vacuum Degassing Furnace: Removing undesirable gasses(H, N, O) other impurities for Special and quality steels used in specific applications like forging. JSIS is the only plant in GCC having this facility. C) Continuous Casting Machine No. 1 - 8 Strand Combi caster(2MTPA): To cast Square/Round Billets and Blooms. Continuous Casting Machine No. 2 - 8 Strand Caster: To cast Square Billets.

Rolling Mill: Rolling Mill has been set up in technical collaboration with Danielli Group. The mill can produce Rebar in a diametre of 8-40mm in maximum length of 18 metres. It is the single largest Rolling Mill in GCC. The mill is producing Rebars under Jindal Panther Rebars Brand name, meeting all the required international standards and grades. Jetty: Jindal Shadeed has a 600 metres long captive jetty with ship loaders/ un-loaders to handle import and export activity. It can accommodate large capesize vessels up to 180000 metres dwt with its draft of 19 metres. The Company has been allocated two berths at the Port of Sohar, Sultanate of Oman for its dedicated use. The Port of Sohar is managed and operated by SIPC. The SIPC Rules are updated by SIPC from time to time and the current versions are available at their website at www.portofsohar.com Terminal is equipped with 2 Nos. State of Art ZPMC Grab type Ship Unloader and loader. ZPMC Ship Unloaders are attached to belt-conveyors which in turn feed the cargo to Stacker attached to it, for stacking the cargo at designated yards.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Jindal Shadeed believes that an effective growth policy must also take into account the fulfilment of the basic needs of the masses, especially of those living in rural areas. Thus, Jindal Shadeed endeavours to improve the quality of life of communities living in the area it operates in. To achieve this, Jindal Shadeed deploys its resources to the extent it can reasonably afford, to improve the infrastructure, education, health, water, sanitation, environment in and around its plants.

The Khimji Ramdas Group

150 years of commitment

Kanaksi Khimji with His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik

Sheikh Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji

As the senior-most Director of one of Oman’s largest business conglomerates - Khimji Ramdas, Kanaksi Gokaldas Khimji, fondly known as “Kanakbhai”, has been instrumental in developing strong synergistic ties between the Indian and Omani business communities. He is also well known for his philanthropic activities in India, as well as his adopted country, Oman; and is a recipient of many accolades and honours by the Governments of India, Oman, and other international bodies.

Patriarch of the illustrious Khimji family of Oman, Kanakbhai was born in 1936 in Muscat; and completed his education in Mumbai. Known as the man behind the consolidation of early trade in rice and dates between India and Oman, he has been spearheading the Khimji Ramdas Group’s businesses for almost five decades. Through his admired entrepreneurship, KR today has a formidable presence in Oman and in UAE and India. Kanaksi Khimji has been actively involved in bringing renowned Indian companies such as Britannia, Amul, TATA International, Kanan Devan, Parachute, NIIT, and Symbiosis International University to the Sultanate of Oman. In early 2001, he partnered with India’s Godrej Group, to set up a manufacturing unit

Kanak Khimji and Late Gokaldas Khimji with Late HM Qaboos, 15th National Day of Oman, 1985

in the city of Sohar in Oman, to manufacture and export steel office furniture. This venture employs over 100 personnel and has been built with an annual capacity, for a throughput of 4,200 metric tonnes of cold-rolled annealed mild steel.

The Khimji Ramdas Group, established in 1870, has a presence in almost every business sector and employs over 5,000 people. Working closely with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Oman, under the visionary leadership of Kanakbhai, the Khimji Ramdas Group has played a significant role in facilitating a successful Indo-Arab partnership.

Kanakbhai was granted Omani citizenship for his outstanding contribution to the growth of the community and economy. He is the first and only Hindu to be bestowed with the honorary title of “Sheikh” of the Indian community in the entire Middle East region. As Sheikh of the Indian diaspora, he astutely extends a helping hand to Indians in need and keenly assists in the settlement of disputes that arise within the community in Oman.

Having many firsts to his credit - Sheikh Kanaksi Khimji is the first person in the Gulf region to have been presented with the “Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award”, the highest honour lndia conferred on PIO (People of Indian Origin), for his zealous commitment to social activities in Oman and India; and for his contribution towards promoting bilateral trade opportunities between both countries. Kanaksi Khimji has played a wider role in promoting India-GCC socio-economic relations. During his visit to Oman in 1996, the Late President of India, Shankar Dayal Sharma, described him as “the real ambassador of India to the Gulf countries. It is noteworthy - that in association with the Indian Embassy, Kanakbhai has played a pivotal role in

His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik, the then Minister for Heritage and Culture inaugurating Khimji Watches, 2009

organising the state visit of the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to Oman in 2017.

Education and women empowerment has always been close to Kanaksi Khimji and the KR family. The Khimji Ramdas Trust and the Gokaldas Khimji Family Trust at Kutch Mandvi run three independent schools. Sheikh Kanaksi Khimji has founded two schools, Sakarbai Khimji Ramdas Memorial School and Shri Ramkrishna High School. This also includes an all-girls school and hostel, Khimji Ramdas Kanya Vidyalaya Trust, to offer the best in modern education to the underprivileged children of Mandvi, his native place in India. The schools touch the lives of over 3,300 students.

As the President of the Hindu Temple Management and Banyan Merchant Community, he has served the community’s needs since 1976, and oversees the work of the Hindu Mahajan Association, which runs two temples and a crematorium in the Sultanate of Oman. In Oman, Sheikh Kanaksi Khimji has been instrumental in establishing the country’s first English medium Indian School in Muscat (1975). Today, there are 21 such schools in Oman with over 47,000 students of the Indian diaspora reaping the benefits of quality education. That’s not all – he has played a key role in the establishment of Eshraqa, the Social Development Arm of Khimji Ramdas, which aids partnerships with public and societal institutes, concentrating on the vital sectors of education, health, community wellbeing and training. It is worth mentioning that Sheikh Kanaksi Khimji was the founding president of

the Indian Cultural Association (“Indian Social Club - ISC”) in Oman. ISC is a pioneering institution for the Indian fraternity and conducts a variety of cultural and social activities. For over four decades now, he has also been the Patron-in-Chief of the Muscat Gujarati Samaj (MGS), which is a part of the ISC. MGS is active in all areas that involve the upholding of rich Gujarati culture and tradition; and festivals like Navratri and Diwali are celebrated with fun and gaiety as community events. Sheikh Kanaksi Khimji is also an ardent lover of the sport of Cricket and is the Founding Chairman of the “Oman Cricket Club”. He has worked tirelessly to enhance the level of the game in the Sultanate, and has been awarded the prestigious “Pepsi - ICC Lifetime Service Award 2011” by the International Cricket Council.

As Khimji Ramdas Group celebrates its 150th year in 2020, under Kanakbhai’s leadership, the KR Group stands firmly grounded in its past with a visionary outlook for the future, upholding its core values of trust, care, commitment, and learning.

Lulu Group International

A true follower of ethical business practices

Yusuff Ali M A wtih His Majesty Haitham bin Tarik

LuLu Group International (LuLu Group), is a highly diversified conglomerate with successful business entities in strategic locations. It is one of the fastest growing retail chain worldwide. Founded by the well-acclaimed and dynamic business visionary Yusuff Ali M.A, LuLu Group mainly operates in 22 countries located across the Middle East, Asia, US, and Europe. For more than two decades it has become a worldrenowned purveyor of lifestyle business portfolio from the hypermarket concept to shopping mall development, manufacturing and trading of goods, hospitality assets, and real estate. It is a key contributor in the Gulf region’s economic standing with an annual turnover worth USD 8.4 billion and a work force numbering to more than 55,000 employees. LuLu Hypermarkets in Oman have become an integral part of the landscape over the last few years with the launch of its first store in Salalah in 2000. Since then, the Group has firmly established its presence as the most popular retail chain in the country. The Group embarked on an aggressive expansion plan with its first major hypermarket launch in 2006 at Bausher. Currently there are 25 branches all across Oman.Recently LuLu opened its new logistics and e-commerce centre at Al Burj

Complex. The new facility is the biggest online portal of LuLu Group and serves as a logistics hub for the Group’s growing e-commerce operations in Oman. It optimizes the distribution network within the country by delivering grocery and non-food products to customers’ doorstep. LuLu also plays a major role in the Omanisation drive by employing more nationals in its workforce. With the launch of every new store, LuLu aims to generate employment opportunities for talented Omanis and integrate several locals into the workforce. The Group constantly launches several new initiatives to support the economy by encouraging local manufacturers and producers to promote their products, too. LuLu Group has revolutionized the face of retail operations through having pioneered the hypermarket business and has eventually innovated shopping malls. It has elevated the traditional shopping experience to a professional and larger scale. To date, the famed company has more than 196 hypermarkets and 15 shopping malls. Moreover, it has extended its hypermarket operations to an e-commerce platform, the LuLu Webstore, which was launched in 2015 and where customers can enjoy shopping right at the luxury of their fingertips. LuLu Group has established food processing units and trading offices across the globe to stay strong in its daily mission to give outstanding quality and timely delivery based on customer demand. The business involves production of food and consumer goods through its two big manufacturing plants located in India. With over 5,000 products launched from this business unit, it is continuously growing day-byday and operating wholesale distribution for its wide network all throughout India, UK, USA, Brazil, Vietnam, Kenya, and Uganda. Staying true to its goal to provide high quality experience for its clientele, LuLu Group now holds a credible name in the competitive hospitality scene, with hotels, convention centres, and an in-flight catering company under its belt. Having acquired the business rights to operate prestigious five-star hotel brands, it is now a major player in the hotel industry with a Grand Hyatt Hotel and two Marriott Hotels in India, the famous Scottish Hotel in London and the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh The Caledonian that boasts more than a century worth of reputation in luxury tourism. After mastered the retail business and shopping centre development, LuLu Group International has explored a flagship project on residential properties with Y-Tower and Y-Villas and has proven to become successful over the years. Y-Tower presents wonderfully designed residence-cum-office apartments for luxurious living and exclusive business amenities; while Y-Villas is LuLu Group’s first large-scale leisure estate and mixed-used development in premium communities located at the outskirts of Abu Dhabi—Saadiyat and Al Ghadeer. With big expansion plans and enhanced product range, LuLu Group continues to bring innovative lifestyle concepts and open doors for new market opportunities around the world. New hypermarkets, shopping destinations, hotels, and distribution branches are expected to rise next year. Its commitment to render quality services to customers has also resulted to being one of the Middle East’s most preferred employers. Truly, LuLu Group is the lifestyle partner of choice of multi-ethnic nationalities.

Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Darwish

Dream big and make dreams a reality

Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Darwish, Chairperson, MHD

Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Darwish is a trailblazer in uplifting, empowering and inspiring young Omani women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders. The eldest daughter of late Mohsin Haider Darwish, she is presently the Chairperson for Infrastructure, Technology, Industrial & Consumer Solutions (ITICS) which is one of the two clusters of Mohsin Haider Darwish LLC, a major business house, which was founded in 1974 by her father, the late Mohsin Haider Darwish. As an active member of the Majlis A’Dawla since 2015, she has been an ardent and valuable contributor to public life; and was also with Majlis A’Shura from 2000 to 2007.

A pioneering company in the Sultanate, MHD LLC is one of the largest and most successful, privately owned business house in the Arabian Gulf region, and has a prominent role in the rapid progress of the Sultanate. Its vision is to contribute to the Sultanate’s efforts in overcoming challenges, by keeping pace with regional and global changes, by generating and seizing opportunities that foster economic competitiveness and social well-being, stimulate growth, and build confidence in all economic, social and developmental relations nationwide At MHD LLC, Honorable Lujaina is actively involved in the strategic and operational aspects of the business. She is responsible for the ‘Omanisation’ strategy of the MHD Group, in order to increase the percentage of Omani workforce.

She is committed to the growth and development of MHD - ITICS, which has the strength of legacy and the spirit of ambition, to leverage opportunities. MHD LLC has focused on continuing the legacy laid out by late Mohsin Haider Darwish towards expanding the business across various verticals. This has helped drive innovation strategy towards providing solutions that would enhance the working environment, which thereby would result in overall efficiency.

Honorable Lujaina says: “My father’s contribution is unmeasurable. He has worked really hard to set us an example. This has helped us as a family to set exceedingly high standards when it comes to the way we work. In my growing years, from the very important lessons that he taught me, two have always remained at the back of my mind – Always dream big and work towards achieving your dream and never give up. Without our knowledge, my father has helped many to cope with their dreams. He did what he felt was right, no matter the consequences and I always remained in awe of him.”

“I would not have been so strong and confident today, if it was not for him. Although he was a very strict father, he loved us unconditionally. Life was so easy with him around. I attribute much of who I am as a person to my dad and I thank him for the family of love that I grew up in,” reminisces Hon Lujaina. Her father was very particular to ensure that as a business enterprise, the aim should be to constantly contribute towards the development of the country and it began from grass-root levels. MHD has encompassed various verticals such as automotive products, computers, office automation and telecommunications, home appliances, electronics, engineering products, building materials, tyres and batteries and important projects, which have helped in contributing towards the consumer market in the country, as well as diversify the country’s economic base.

“The growth of the company has kept pace with the tremendous progress the Sultanate has achieved under the wise and able leadership of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Now, guided by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, MHD remains committed to supporting the vision of growth and development under his strong leadership. Since its inception till date, the steep growth of the company exemplifies the tremendous progress Oman has made as a nation.” This

Honorable Lujaina Mohsin Darwish with Manu Mahawer, Indian Ambassador

conglomerate is also the authorized distributor for Ashok Leyland in the country, besides many other renowned brands; thus, maintaining and developing friendly ties between countries.

With all these amazing fortes, the Honorable Lujaina makes a maiden move in founding the Oman–India Friendship Association, to further strengthen and develop the friendly relationship between India and Oman. This association endeavors to open new prospects between the two countries through its social and cultural, economic, sports and scientific activities and also enhance foreign visits, to boost the centuries-old India-Oman bilateral relations, to an even higher altitude.

“Oman-India relations encompass a wide spectrum of activities in trade, energy and investment. Over the years, the India-Oman relationship has acquired a multidimensional character. Oman holds important trade exhibitions; wherein Indian business delegations participate. The Indian Embassy in Oman regularly arrange business meetings in various sectors, to facilitate business opportunities with Omani companies.

She also conceptualizes in developing a business forum of Omani and Indian Businesswomen who have immensely contributed to the country in both public and private sectors. Honorable Lujaina believes in promoting common interests by nurturing budding entrepreneurs and also supporting women within the two communities.

“The Women’s Forum will present an opportunity for women of the two countries,

Women of the year 2020 by International Business Stevie Awards

to learn from each other’s experience, enhance their skills and to exchange ideas. This in turn will present opportunities for Women to have choices in their careers. She emphasizes in encouraging women by identifying their great potential. This will not only benefit the Organizations, but will also develop their individuality and increases their self-confidence. Many have the aptitude, but just need the stimulus”, she adds. In addition to the above, for an Omani businesswoman, the ability to raise resources for their ventures is a big challenge. She explains that while the government and banking sector have introduced several schemes and opportunities to ease these concerns, it will require the continuing inner strength and determination of spirit which will drive Omani women forward.

“Awareness is something I always encourage and look forward to contributing towards creating and educating more Omani women which will only improve these situations going forward. This would indeed be an advancing step towards more fruitful relations between countries and communities,” adds Honorable Lujaina. About her thoughts on post-COVID, Hon Lujaina says the pandemic has definitely been a roller coaster which has taught her innumerous things be it work or personal. The economic measures taken by the Oman government to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the national economy.

“We are constantly finding unconventional ways to connect with our clients, friends or even family. This definitely has its own share of pros and cons but ultimately we have to adapt to the evolution that the world is currently witnessing and this is key for us to transform the way we function and communicate, if you still hold

onto conventional ways of communicating or even running our operations, then you will end up facing the brunt, instead it is more logical to adapt and evolve and I firmly believe that we will achieve the results that we aim for,” she mentions.

Hon. Lujaina has also been recognized for her multifarious achievements with numerous international and local awards which are a testimony to her leadership and remarkable social service over the years, such as the ‘Most Powerful Business Women of the Year’ by Forbes Middle East on multiple occasions, Excellence in Leadership at the Harvard Business Council 2020 International Award with the Diamond Executive’s Award and Harvard Business Council Leadership medal, “Women of the year 2020” by International Business Stevie Awards, “Businesswoman of the year 2020” by Middle East Stevie Awards, The Most Outstanding Corporate Leader of the Year 2020 by Alam Al- Iktisaad Awards and Women of the Year by Al Mar’a Magazine Summit and Annual Awards 2020.

Recently, she has also been honored with citation medal, on the occasion of the Oman China Friendship Association’s 10th anniversary from the government of People’s Republic of China, in recognition of her exemplary efforts in promoting Oman - China relationship. In November 2020, The Arabian Stories (TAS), an interactive digital media company in the Sultanate, awarded her the TAS ICONS Award.

The Award mentioned her as ‘a trailblazer in empowering Omani women.’She says of being ‘immensely grateful,’ when asked about her opinion on awards and recognitions. Hon. Lujaina is also on the Board of the Advisory Committee for The National Programme for Leadership and Competitiveness and a member of the Working Team

Al Mar’a Women of the Year award, 2020

Hon. Lujaina with Indian Minister of State V. Muraleedharan and Manu Mahawer, Indian Ambassador

of Partnership between the public and private sectors at the Diwan of Royal Court. In addition, she is the Honorary President of the Oman- India Friendship Association (OIFA) and Oman-China Friendship Association (OCFA). She has served on the Board of the Oman Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Board of the Omani Centre for Investment Promotion and Export Development (Ithraa Oman).

“When a person gets recognized for their efforts and hard work, it instils a feeling of happiness which makes you want to put in more efforts and work harder. This is purely the results of what we have done as a team that has helped me to reach these pinnacles.As I have always said, focus on putting in the effort and it is bound to yield the results that you want to achieve. All the awards and recognitions are a living example of the work and effort that you have put in to make something better,” Honorable Lujaina concludes.

Her energy and passion drive her to be a better person of herself every day. Under her leadership and guidance, not only is the MHD Group in safe hands, but the Omani Women can envisage a brighter and stronger future too. Most important to Hon. Lujaina, is her family. During her spare time, she enjoys reading and travelling with the family.

MSA GLOBAL LLC

Protecting critical national assets

Visit of Indian Defence Minister accompanied by Commander of the Royal Army of Oman

Founded in 2011, MSA Global LLC is headquartered in Oman with regional offices and operations in India and Singapore. Since inception, MSA has grown rapidly and has executed projects totaling more than US$ 200 million, making MSA comfortably the largest security systems integrator in Oman and one of the top players in the wider Middle East market. MSA offers enterprise-grade security systems and solutions, both off-theshelf and customised solutions for government and private sector clients. We are able to provide technically superior solutions at competitive costs to enable our clients to meet their security requirements. Some of our notable clients include: • Royal Army of Oman (RAO) • Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO)

• Sultan’s Special Forces (SSF) • Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) • DNO Oman LTD • Bahwan Engineering Company (BEC) • Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) • Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) As a fully independent integrator we are not financially affiliated to any manufacturers allowing us to choose best of breed systems to meet specific needs on a client-by-client basis. As a rule, we do n nd ensuring long term maintenance of the systems. Having understood the need to have a wholistic solution with a strong backbone we have strived and builtin house expertise to deliver the core competencies of an electronic security systems and also build strong relationships with our esteemed subcontractors in the related fields as listed below:

• Designed and delivered over 400-kms of High Security Fence systems. • Designed and implemented dedicated fiber networks of over a thousand kms along with our

Sub-Contractor Oman Fiber

Optic C0. • Designed and Delivered dedicated Power Generations

Systems as required along with our Sub-Contractor Bhawan

Engineering Company. • Designed and Installed 33KVA/11KVA dedicated Power

Lines for our systems. • Our core competencies in

Systems is MSA’s key strength.

Networking backbone for the electronic security systems

CCTV Systems

CCTV is a very effective tool in generating real time and historical visual evidence.CCTV is also the most misguided technology in the security landscape, a systems operational effectiveness is intrinsically linked to the surroundings in which it’s placed meaning a single solution does not fit all scenarios. MSA have the experience of having installed hundreds of cameras of various types of sophisticated high-end systems over extended distances. This can include intelligent video analytics, behavioural analytics, event driven monitoring or Towers with long range thermal cameras simply deployment of the correct transmission and management infrastructure to support the system.

Perimetre Intrusion Protection Systems

Perimetre Protection is the first line of defence against any possible intrusion, be it electronic detection or a physical barrier. Any type of deterrent and or detection deployed must be designed with an overall solution in mind. Interacting with and as part of an overall solution combining further elements of surveillance and detection to present a common operating platform to users. We have extensive in-house knowledge in the design and delivery of these types of systems, gained from a combination of government, military and commercial projects having executed protecting over 300-kms of sensitive perimetres.

Coastal Protection Systems

For certain facilities such as ports and petrochemical sites costal protection can be of paramount importance but can also be very challenging to properly implement and manage. We have deployed solutions that use electronic systems such as radar, vessel tracking and thermal imaging, and integrated them into command and control and operational requirements. Other technologies can also be leveraged such as communications and CCTV systems to enable coordinated reactions to events.Integrating these tools with

geographic information systems (GIS) and in turn command and control solutions provides a superior operational overview and intuitive operation.

Access Control Systems

Access Control is one of the most fundamental disciplines in an overall security solution and one that relates the most directly to simple operational requirements namely control who has access to a given area. Whilst this is achievable in its simplest form with a simple lock and key more complex requirements require more intelligent solutions. Access Control combines biometric and electronic credentials with sophisticated control hardware and software to enable a fully managed solution. These systems can be deployed on standard doors or purpose-built entrance barriers such as turnstiles, road blockers, gates and barriers. A further layer of security can be achieved by integrating access control credentials with IT systems enabling smart card and biometric login solutions as well as shared IT and human resources database recording.

Automatic Number Plate Read (ANPR) Systems

Automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) is a technology that uses optical character recognition on images to read vehicle registration plates to create vehicle location data. Installing an Automatic Number Plate Recognition or ANPR system is a cost-effective way to enhance the security by giving you the ability to control, monitor, and log the access of every vehicle entering a particular zone of interest.ANPR is a generally networked system which can reliably read license plates at speeds of up to 160 kph with 95%-98% accuracy, even in the dark and with the glare from vehicle headlights. Our preferred ANPR systems can monitor an unlimited number of traffic lanes with each vehicle being logged on the system’s database. In the case of network communication failure/disruption the ANPR cameras can operate independently in stand-alone mode, capable of logging up to 100,000 plate reads without any communication to the system server.

Entrance Control Systems

Well-designed entrance control measures provide efficient controlled access to sites, buildings or areas. We have deployed many entrance control technologies for our clients ranging from pedestrian turnstiles and tube doors to tyre killers, raising arm barriers, raising bollards/blockers and speed gates. Coupling these physical measures to electronic systems such as access control, automatic number plate recognition and foreign object under vehicle scanners provide a more automatic and integrated overall solution.

MSA’s Specialised Military Systems production facility

Communications Systems

The ability to freely communicate with team members and response resources is paramount in any security solution. A reliable and simple to operate communications solution bridging the gap between disparate systems such as mobile radio, intercom, public address, PBX and IP based telephony systems is essential.

Command & Control

An Integrated Command & Control system is the operational interface to any security solution. A well-functioning command and control solution integrates disparate systems and operational procedures into a unified user interface.This allows information to be presented to operators and staff in an intelligent and dynamic manner allowing them to concentrate on making decisions rather than managing technology. Solutions implemented by MSA present a common operational overview across geographically disbursed landscapes with fiber backbone of over a thousand kilometres.

System Design & Consultancy

System concept and design is the most important part of any security solution, if your system is designed correctly it will ensure effective operation and offer the highest level of protection to your assets.We have

a highly skilled design and consultancy team in house to deal with your requests. We can assist you from high level conceptual design right through to standard operational procedure development.

Maintenance Services

The importance of preventative maintenance cannot be over emphasised, we would always recommend that planned preventative maintenance (PPM) is carried out proactively to help prevent faults appearing as opposed to reactively after faults have already appeared. Particularly when as is often the case your systems could be classed as critical to the site’s overall security.

Training Services

Professional and well-trained staff are a crucial part of any security solution and we are able to provide training in a wide variety of security and safety related subjects, ranging from all aspects of site security through to maritime security and first aid. We believe that a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is the first part of any training process because this enables us to ensure that we fully engage with any existing training standards and work with our clients and their staff to meet their future requirements.

Col� M S Atwal (Retd), Managing Director

Col (Retd) M S Atwal graduated from the National Defence Academy in 1976 where he was awarded the President Gold Medal for standing first in merit. After he was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers, he graduated from the Defence Services of Staff College and also attended the prestigious Higher Command course. He was in charge of the security systems of UN setup in Bagdad. In 2011, he set up MSA Global LLC, and under his leadership, MSA has grown into one of the predominant securities and defence companies in Oman.

Oman India Fertiliser Company SAOC

A world scale fertiliser manufacturing plant

Oman India Fertiliser Company’s plant in Sur

Oman India Fertiliser Company SAOC (OMIFCO) has been established, as the result of an initiative by the governments of the Sultanate of Oman and India, in order to construct, own and operate a modern world scale twotrain ammonia-urea fertiliser manufacturing plant at the Sur Industrial Estate in the Sultanate.OMIFCO is owned 50% by OQ Company, 25% by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) and 25% by Krishak Bharati Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO). The plant has the capacity to produce 1,750 T/D of Anhydrous Ammonia from two Ammonia plants and 2,530 T/D of Granular Urea from two Urea plants. The project was completed in July 2005 at a cost of $ 968 mn. The Government of India has agreed to purchase certain contractual quantity of the Urea produced by OMIFCO under a long term Urea-Off-Take Agreement for 15 years at predetermined prices. The Sultanate of Oman has committed to supply the natural gas feedstock for the life of the project. A highly skilled workforce from IFFCO and KRIBHCO is participating directly in operation and maintenance of the project under

a Personnel Supply Agreement (PSA). Building and Operating OMIFCO, a modern world scale two-train Ammonia-Urea fertiliser manufacturing plant at the Sur Industrial Estate on Omani soil, is a proud statement by itself. OMIFCO in its uniqueness has given and continues to contribute much to the Omani economy and to the Omani people.

Environment protection

OMIFCO considers the issue of reducing the environmental impacts resulting from its operations as its top priority along with the promotion of production to raise the national economy. OMIFCO has made heavy investments in eco-friendly operations which have resulted in little or no negative impacts on the environment. The company is constantly on the lookout for opportunities that contribute to the upliftment of the country's face in terms of the international ecological footprint measurement. OMIFCO’s environmental management system boasts management of air emissions, effluents and solid wastes, including a monitoring system for each source of pollution. The company’s environmental policy states OMIFCO’s commitment to fully comply with environmental laws, local and international regulations while producing Ammonia and Urea. The company thus shoulders the responsibility to develop its business addressing all environmental issues.

Corporate Social Responsibility

CSR at OMIFCO is a business management mechanism and a vehicle to engage the company and its employees with the community and collectively determine the social-economic and environmental priorities in the community in line with the company›s objectives. OMIFCO considers CSR as one of its most important obligations towards the surrounding environment and the local community. The Company is seeking to create enduring partnerships with the local community to serve common goals and to develop Omani human resources in addition to identifying critical issues affecting the community. OMIFCO’s community investments strategy ensures that all resources within the reach of the Company, including its finances and human resources, are strategically utilised for the benefit of the community. It is looking to leverage its various resources and competencies in order to effectively support projects and initiatives that have a positive long term and sustainable impact on the community. OMIFCO has begun the process of adopting sustainability

management that integrates management of economic, environmental and social performance for delivering enduring value to all our stakeholders including the government, shareholders, customers, employees, local community, partners, suppliers and the environment. Brief Profile: Gedigeri was promoted as CEO/MD from February 2012 from Deputy CEO. He has worldwide experience and is responsible for overall operations and business of the company. With a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in Chemical engineering which he passed with distinction in 1979 from National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, India. Earlier, he also had stints with Petronas Fertilizer Kedah, Malaysia, and IFFCO, Indian Farmers Fertilisers Co-operative. He has been working for OIFC for 8 years successfully operating the Ammonia and Urea complex. His chief skills are mainly in commissioning, startup and operation of Ammonia, Methanol and Urea plants and in process plant management. He also operates in administrative, interpersonal and team building with incident investigation.

From the words of Sharanappa Gurappa Gedigeri, CEO

OMIFCO was founded on many objectives, some of which are working to increase the added value of the natural gas, raising the trade balance of the Sultanate of Oman by increasing exports and increasing and enhancing the contribution of the private sector in the GDP of the Sultanate, as well as the establishment of the latest industrial complex environment-friendly. The company seeks to be a globally recognised model for its mounting indicators of achievement as we are working hard to realize our vision of creating a culture of excellence and teamwork spirit through a group of qualified employees and an excellent work environment. Our success in exceeding our plant production capacity of Ammonia and Urea has been achieved in constant care to maintain domestic and international environmental standards, through the implementation of environmental management system and pollution control system, in addition to employing a thorough occupational safety system. Our workforce embraces a group of active and effective employees upon whom we heavily rely to raise the level of

Sharanappa Gurappa Gedigeri, CEO of OMIFCO attending a conference

the company operations. We provide our employees with various training and development schemes that fit their individual needs and strengthen the skills levels. Through our development strategies, we aim to enhance our functional capacity in order to create vacancies and increase levels of Omanisation in a gradual and continuous manner. As a national responsible company, we always strive to respond to community requests of deserving cause, as well as activities, events and projects that are connected to our trade scope, consistent with our commitment to sustainable development, and promoting the cultural life and values of our Omani society. All that comes within our strategy of community investment, and social responsibility sustainable framework.

Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group Oman

Steadfast partner in urban and infrastructure renaissance

There is a common thread tying Qasr Al Alam Palace, Muscat Securities Market, Muscat Municipality building, HM’s cabinet building, Royal Opera House of Musical Arts, Military Technological College, Muttrah fish market and more recently the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre. Apart from being the quintessential landmarks of Muscat, they have been built by one of the largest construction conglomerates: Shapoorji Pallonji (SP) Group.

Shapoor Mistry, Chairman – SP Group, summed up SP’s business philosophy at the heart of its phenomenal success. “Shapoorji Pallonji has always worked on customer focused solutions based on sustainable business practices and technological leadership, leveraging its capabilities through synergised Group offerings. At Shapoorji Pallonji we stand for all that is good for all the relevant stakeholders. We will continue to contribute to Oman’s growth,” he said.

From its modest beginnings as a small family business in the early 19th century, SP Group has emerged as one of India’s leading civil and infrastructure construction companies. Today, it is a well-diversified international business house with a dominant presence in areas of construction, infrastructure, real estate, water, oil and gas, renewable energy, consumer products, business automation and textiles.

SP established its mark beyond India’s borders in 1971 when it became the first Indian corporate house to undertake contracts in the Middle East. The Group won a global tender to build the palace of the late HM Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said in Muscat. On completion, the Group established itself as a local company in the shape of Oman Shapoorji Company LLC (OSCO). Soon thereafter, the Diwan of Royal Court awarded the facilities management contract for the Royal Palace to OSCO, which continues to date.

Shapoor Mistry, Chairman of SP Group

Al Alam Palace, Muscat

Since then, OSCO has been an integral part of Oman’s economic and social renaissance journey. The strides that the country made under the leadership of Sultan Qaboos since 1970 were transformative. In particular, Oman’s infrastructure/urban transformation remains one of the most striking aspects of the country’s development over the last five decades and serves as an important underpinning of its future growth. Having played a stellar role in this transformation, OSCO is committed to building on this contribution in the years to come. Testament of this commitment is the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre (OCEC), which stands as a proud edifice of engineering and construction ingenuity. SP Group’s international arm Shapoorji Pallonji International (SPINT) has unmatched experience of working even in challenging territories. Today, SPINT has a presence in over 20 countri es. Over the years, SP’s international arm has been further strengthened with its exclusive Design Studio, MEP and Internal Fit-Out divisions.

“Today, SP Group’s legacy of 154 years stands strong on the ‘Foundation of Trust’. Each company and its employees have been able to build and further strengthen its capabilities. We have built a solid reputation for the way we do business and specifically for timely execution of complex projects – even in demanding situations. Our success is founded on a very simple philosophy: We put our best in honouring our commitment to all our stakeholders,” says M D Saini, CEO & MD.

M D Saini, CEO & MD

Mall of Oman

OSCO draws upon the inherent experience and strengths of the parent organization while having a self-sufficient setup in Oman to perform as a one-stop service provider that offers end-to-end solutions to its customers for all their design, engineering and construction related works. OSCO has three main divisions namely construction, facilities management and MEPI. Over the years, OSCO’s diverse portfolio has

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Suhar

Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre

included projects for government ministries, educational institutions, public and private housing companies, hotels and resorts, factories, private villas, health centres, army camps, air force and naval bases, monuments, mosques, shopping malls, food courts and commercial buildings.

OSCO’s facilities management division is the industry leader in the integrated facilities management sector. OSCO manages over 170 mn sq feet of real estate that includes properties of strategic importance such as Qasr Al Alam Palace, Barka Palace, Salalah palace, Majlis building, NBO headquarters, Mall of Muscat and many more. The company’s IFM team is internationally certified and practises British and American standards. The division has a workforce of over 3600 staff and nearly 1000 technicians, across more than 650 properties.

The MEPI Division of OSCO is focused on delivering customised end-to-end solutions and specialised services for the Mechanical (HVAC), electrical, plumbing, and instrumentation domains.

With more than 50 milestone projects delivered, the division has created an impressive reputation for itself and built excellent relationships with OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) globally. It is registered with relevant bodies, like DCRP, Diam, Madayn and JSRS.

“Commitment to stakeholders is OSCO’s uno numero priority. It is known for delivering complex projects under strict deadlines and of utmost quality. We have earned the trust and confidence of some of the nation’s most discerning clientele. Our prestigious list of clients include RCA, MOD, OMRAN, PDO, Duqm refinery, MAFWR, ROP amongst other prestigious customers,” says

Varinder Arora, VP & Country Head, Oman.

The Group’s ongoing projects are set to redefine the Sultanate’s urban landscape. Mall of Oman, the largest mall in the country with a built-up area of 400,000 sqm+, will be delivered by 2021. “Oman Across Ages Museum” in Nizwa is an architectural jewel and an engineering marvel. The distinctive and intricate Varinder Arora, VP & Country Head, Oman design has been inspired by the geometric profile of the majestic Hajar Mountains crisscrossed by ravines. Shapoorji Pallonji group is proud to deliver this project as the main contractor.

Recently, OSCO forayed into real estate development with a commercial office project in Sohar Freezone. The multi-storeyed development offers modern office spaces for businesses operating in the free zone.

Certified for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, OSCO is also accredited by MEFMA and BISc. Aside from a robust commitment to internationally accepted quality management and occupational health and safety standards, OSCO firmly believes in creating In-Country Value (ICV). To this end, the company exploits every opportunity to include local content in its project delivery, notably by engaging local businesses as sub-contractors, procuring local materials and using the services of SMEs. This commitment to localisation is reflected in OSCO’s commendable Omanisation rates, which are among the healthiest in the industry. Furthermore, the company works committedly to upgrade the professional skills of locals and give them senior positions of responsibility. OSCO’s rise to the pinnacle of success in the construction industry is a testament to the strength of Indo-Omani relations and the fertile ground that awaits Indianorigin businesses when they choose to set up operations in the Sultanate. Maritime and cultural ties going back millennia have given way to deep-rooted and mutually rewarding bilateral relations fostered by the leaderships of the two friendly countries. This enduring friendship will continue to be nurtured and strengthened under the leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. The 50th National Day celebrations were an opportunity for OSCO, among other Indian-owned businesses, to express their appreciation to the Omani government and its people for the continued warmth and hospitality enjoyed by expatriates in their adoptive homeland.

Institute of Public Administration Headquarters

OSCO has many plans for the future, but the mission remains the same – to deliver the highest levels of stakeholder satisfaction though customer-focused solutions based on sustainable business practices and technological leadership.

Select list of marquee landmarks

• Al Alam Palace, Muscat • Diwan of Royal Court Affairs building • Ministry of National Heritage & Cultural Complex • Special Housing Project, Al Khodh • Majlis A’Shura building • Cabinet building • Burj Al Sahwa Clock Tower, Rusayl • Riyam monument, Muttrah • Muscat Municipality building, Darsait • Muscat Securities Market

• Jawharat Al Shatti

• Rabat Stadium

• Royal Box & Grand Stand, Salalah • Qasr Al Alam guest complex • Royal Opera House of Music • Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Suhar • Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre

• City Centre, Sur • Green Peak Adventure Resort

• ROP, accommodation blocks

Select list of Ongoing Projects

• Mall of Oman

• Oman Across Ages Museum, Nizwa • Institute of Public Administration (IPA) • Ras al Hamra villas

Riyam monument

The Punj Lloyd Group

Global player rooted in the local community

The Punj Lloyd Group is a diversified international conglomerate offering EPC services in Energy and Infrastructure along with engineering and design capabilities. From its evolution as a pipeline company to an international diversified EPC Group today, Punj Lloyd’s history is punctuated with rich experiences gained in different geographies.

History

Atul Punj, Chairman of Punj Lloyd, represents the third generation in the Punj family business. He started the pipeline division of Punj Sons Private Limited in 1982 that was later incorporated as Punj Lloyd Engineering Private Limited in 1988 and subsequently became Punj Lloyd Limited in 1992. This was the same year when it secured its first overseas contract in Indonesia. Soon, it widened its international operations to Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Malaysia and Kazakhstan among others. This formed the basis for the establishment of the Group’s 24 international offices across the Middle East, the Caspian, Asia Pacific, Africa, South Asia, China and Europe.

Atul Punj, Chairman of Punj Lloyd

Key strengths

Punj Lloyd is an engineering and construction company headquartered in India providing integrated design, engineering, procurement and construction and project management services for energy and infrastructure sector projects with operations

spread across many regions.The company has delivered landmark projects for renowned organizations such as ONGC, IOC, GAIL, NHAI, AAI, Reliance, several other PSUs and private players aside from international clients like Shell, Petronas, ADNOC, Qatar Solar Technologies, Qatar Petroleum and several others. The Group’s key strengths are its varied experience, rich knowledge of local conditions, high standards of health, safety, quality and environment, its ability to manage operations in diverse industries and economies, long-term relationships with world-class clients and ability to mobilise financial resources. In its pursuit of business, the Group endeavours to uplift the community in which it operates. Social and environmental concerns are closely interwoven in Punj Lloyd Group’s core practices and decision making. From providing education to many underprivileged children through its own school to enriching the lives of thousands of workers at its sites, Punj Lloyd is committed to the cause of community enrichment.

Oman operations

Punj Lloyd has had a long and fruitful association with the Sultanate of Oman since 2004. The company has delivered landmark projects in Oman with esteemed organizations such as PDO, OQ (formerly ORPIC), Oman Gas Company and Occidental.

“From pipelines, tanks and terminals to refineries, power plants to renewables, airports, rail transit systems to expressways, the Group can offer EPC solutions across a wide spectrum of businesses. Punj Lloyd has actively worked towards contributing to the oil and gas sector of the Sultanate and generating employment for the people of Oman. We strive to continue our efforts to provide our services to Oman and work for the betterment of this beautiful country,” says Amit Hakoo, Country Head – PLL Oman.

Some of the projects of national importance undertaken in Oman:  EPC of 48” dia 264 Km of Pipeline Project in the Year 2004-2005 from Saih Nihada to Sur Port [Client – Petroleum Development of Oman (PDO)]

 EPC of 32” dia Pipeline Project in the year 2008 to 2009 from Saih Rawl to Saddad & second part of the pipeline project EPC of 24” dia from

Murayrat to Barka [Client – OQ Gas Networks Company]Water Treatment

Plant and Central processing Facility at Mukhaizna in the year 2011 to 2013 [Client – Occidental Petroleum (OXY)]

Amit Hakoo, Country Head - PLL Oman

Pipe Lowering

 EPC of 300 Km of 14” dia pipeline from Fahud to Sohar & 300 Km of 32” dia Pipeline from Fahud to Sohar in the year 2016 to 2020 (Client – OQ and OQ Gas Networks)

Signature project

OQ (formerly ORPIC) has constructed a new petrochemical complex in SOHAR, which forms part of the Liwa Plastics Project (LPP). The new petrochemical complex project has included the construction of an NGL treating and extraction unit located in Fahud to generate feed for the Steam Cracker Unit (SCU) located in Sohar, designed to produce polymer grade ethylene and polymer grade propylene. The onspec NGL product produced in the NGL treating and extraction facility located at Fahud area is intended to be safely transported via a 14” X 300 km pipeline to Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC) for further processing.

OQ Gas Networks Company (formerly Oman Gas Company) is the custodian of the main Gas Transportation Facilities (GTF) within Oman and is responsible for ensuring 100% availability of gas to all customers. The existing 32” Fahud - Sohar gas pipeline was commissioned in 2002 to deliver gas requirement to the north region. The gas demand has now increased to include new customers mainly two power plants (located at Ibri and Sohar) and OQ’s new demand. Therefore, to ensure the availability of supply, it was required to install a loop (parallel) pipeline to the existing 32” Fahud - Sohar pipeline all the way through the approximately 301 km length, from launcher (at Fahud area) to receiver (at Sohar GSS) to satisfy the total

Block Valve station

demand of 41.68 MMSCMD.

In delivering the technically and logistically challenging gas pipeline projects, Punj Lloyd racked up a number of industry-leading achievements. In addition to mobilisation of more than 2200 manpower to the project site, the company mobilised 700 assorted pieces of heavy machinery and other hardware to the area. Three camps, covering an area of 264,500 sq metres, were constructed as well.

A key highlight of the construction phase was the 0.9 million cubic metres of rock-cutting and mountain excavation work that was undertaken to prepare the ROW &Wadi Crossings, which was one of the most critical tasks of its kind to be accomplished in the country. PLL became the first contractor to cross the SIPC canal through HDD method. Additionally, all tieins/shutdowns on the Pipeline were successfully completed before schedule.

Installed Valve

Client Joint Visit

Other highlights:

• Field Joint Coating Progress in Single Day

• 14” Pipeline – 3.9 KM (218 Joints)

• 32” Pipeline – 2.7 KM (218 Joints)

• Trenching Progress in Single Day

• 14” Pipeline – 3.5 KM

• 32” Pipeline – 3.4 KM

• Lowering Progress in Single Day

• 14” Pipeline – 8.3 Km

• 32’ Pipeline – 4.1 Km

• Welding Progress in Single Day

• 14-inch weld joint – 122 no’s (welded length – 1.7km) • 32-inch weld joint – 130 no’s (welded length – 1.5km)

Pipeline Trenching

Committed to localisation and HSE

During the implementation phase of its substantial portfolio of projects, PLL successfully met its Omanisation commitments as specified by the Ministry of Labour. A coveted Letter of Appreciation was received from the Ministry to this effect in 2019. Furthermore, with the goal of contributing to In-Country Value (ICV) generation, the company patronised local Omani contractors and small businesses during the procurement of goods and services for the delivery of its various projects.

As a community-centric company, PLL has also funded initiatives and programmes beneficial to local communities in which it has operated. Notable contributions by the company include the following:

• Area levelling for villages

• Constructing football pitches for the youth

• Funding road widening projects for local villages

• Investing in dust suppression and noise monitoring measures for the benefit of local villagers

• Funding schoolbooks for rural communities, and

• Diverse CSR support for local communities

Reflective of its longstanding commitment to occupational health and well-being of its workers, PLL notched up 10 million man-hours without LTI (lost time injury) – a significant achievement in the industry.

Sebacic Oman SAOC

Largest bio-refinery in the Sultanate

With an Investment of 62 Million USD, Sebacic Oman plant is built over an area of 200,000 Sqmtrs

Sebacic Oman SAOC is one of the world’s largest bio-refinery and the first industrial project in Duqm, Sultanate of Oman. This first Indo-Oman joint venture in Duqm was started with an initial investment of US$ 62.00 million the project on 200,000 SQ mtrs of land and began production in 2019. It was the vision of His Excellency Hilal bin Khalid Al Maawali - Chairman to invest in green chemical sector for manufacture of nylons from Vegetable Oil. With technology from Pradeepkumar B Nair – CEO, this project was successfully executed and exports started to USA. Speaking on the advantages of setting up the unit in a Duqm free zone, Sheikh Khalid Hilal Maawali – Director Operations pointed out that there is no tax or duties for the next 25 years. The cost of electricity is 60% less than the cost in India or China. The finance cost is only 6%. There is no capital cost on land for project as the land is available on lease. The manpower commit-

ment and cost is better than India. Oman has Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States.

According to Mr Pradeepkumar, Oman and India have a strong cultural connect which makes investors feel at home. Also there is a strong growing commitment towards Renewable Energy and green chemicals by Oman. Sebacic is a green chemical which is manufactured from Castor Oil (Castor is a native Omani plant). Sebacic is used to manufacture Nylons, cosmetics, bio-plasticizers, lubricants, Pharmaceuticals and anti-corrosion products and aerospace polymers. Increase in industrial use of Castor derivatives shall promote agriculture which shall reduce global carbon foot prints. We have initiated large scale farming in Oman for our raw material requirement.

Promoters of Sebacic Acid:

His Excellency Hilal bin Khalid al Maawali is the Chairman of the company. He hails from a renowned family in the Sultanate having held various positions as minister in government throughout his career.

Sebacic’s CEO, Pradeepkumar Nair with PM Modi, 2018

Sebacic’s bio-refinery in Duqm, Oman

Sebacic’s state of the art machenery at its Duqm facility

Shaikh Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali is the Director of Operations. With a Bachelors in Business, Shaikh Khalid manages all the businesses of Maawali family which ranges from businesses in real estate, mining, steel and petroleum industry. Pradeepkumar Nair is Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company has an engineering degree with wide experience in industries. He has 18 years of experience in engineering procurement and construction of chemical industries in India and the Arabian Gulf. He has diversified into chemical manufacturing sector and Master development of real estate in Oman.

Sky Line Duqm LLC

First ITC in Duqm

Sky Line Duqm, Integrated Tourism Complex (ITC), master layout plan

Pradeepkumar Nair, CEO of ‘Sky Line Duqm’, - the first Integrated Tourism Complex to begin construction in Duqm and CEO of Sebacic Oman SAOC, shares his views about the projects and investment plans in the Sultanate.

‘Sky Line Duqm’, is an Integrated Tourism Complex (ITC), being developed in phases within the Duqm Special Economic Zone (SEZ). Duqm is one of the largest free zones in Gulf and the land size is double than that of Singapore. The ‘Sky Line Duqm’ project is a Master Development of ITC. This comprises of a total 2,100 flats and 150 exclusive signature villas, 5 star hotel, resort, mall and commercial complex and is planned to be developed over a period of 15 years.

The expatriate community who have a vision and wish to stay in Oman after their retirement have their best opportunity. Sky Line Duqm is offering residential flats for RO 25,000. For the first building they have a special scheme. “We are giving assured rental of RO 200 per month per flat if the owner wants to give it us for rent. This ensures a 9% return on investment. As a gratitude to Oman, we are also giving double price buyback scheme after 5 years as a National Day offer. This ensures 20% additional return on investment.”

Expatriates can invest in the name of their children so that they can stay in Oman after their age of 18 years.

“We are offering best facilities of a community living in Duqm. We seek blessings of His Majesty towards the successful execution of our dreams of Oman development,” he adds.With a most modern infrastructure, port, dry dock and international airport, Duqm is safe and strategic location in the Arabian Gulf. Duqm has been master planned to compete with Jebel Ali for international transshipments and according to Pradeep, Duqm is the best option to Dubai for the world.

‘Sky Line Duqm LLC’ was founded by Pradeepkumar, a prominent entrepreneur with investments into bio-chemicals, pharmaceuticals manufacturing and real estate master development.Spanning over 600,000 square metres, the project is the first ITC project in Duqm. The master plan is designed by internationally renowned architect Sanjay Puri, comprises of a wide range of real estate projects, including beach-front villas, resort, apartment units, a five-star hotel, restaurants, multiplex, marina and commercial buildings, malls, school, hospital and community centre.

Foreign investors purchasing apartment units within the ITC will receive Oman residence visas. Plots are also available for Developers to build Apartments and commercial complex. Announced on December 7, 2017, ‘Sky Line Duqm’ in Oman will be completed in phases with the complex slated to be completed within 15 years. The total investment is estimated at US$ 750 million and is likely to generate about 8,000 jobs. Work on the first phase of the project has already started since January 2018.

The Sultanate has a more than 5,000 years of long history of relationship with India and is considered one of the friendliest Middle Eastern countries. This is the major factor why Oman is a haven for those looking to work and settle in the Middle East. It was owing to this fact that Pradeepkumar founded the much-anticipated ITC project. He explains saying that “expatriates from any country including India who have lived in the Sultanate for more than 5-10 years and who wish to spend their rest of the life in Oman can avail Oman residency on purchase of property in Sky Line Duqm.”

Work has commenced on two projects namely the beachfront resort, called the ‘Village Resort’ which is a wellness and medical rehabilitation centre with beach front chalets and an apartment building with 70 flats of varying sizes of studio, two bedroom and one bed-room apartment units.

The village resort is a wellness-cum entertainment facility offering ATVs, mountain biking, jet-ski and zip line. It has 26 cottages, two restaurants and a wellness centre.

“Through ‘Sky Line Duqm,’ we are targeting expatriates of all nationalities including Indians in the Arabian Gulf. When they retire at the age of 60, they have good productive years left which they would like to spend in Oman. ‘Sky Line Duqm’ gives them an opportunity to buy an apartment which will enable them to get an Omani residency and stay with their children. They need not relocate to India.”

Pradeepkumar says now is the right time to invest as he foresees a huge growth for world economy coming soon.

“Though COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has affected the businesses worldwide, mankind has always overcome challenges and made world better than before. I am confident that this pandemic will bring the world to unite and revive the businesses in full gear,” he concludes.

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