Oman Pitches New Port to India for Uninterrupted Energy Access
With the Strait of Hormuz in a chokehold due to Iran-U.S. hostilities, Oman has pitched to India investment opportunities in a new port that could provide uninterrupted access to energy resources from the Persian Gulf.
Speaking in New Delhi on Wednesday (September 16, 2026), a high-level representative of the Sohar Port of Oman welcomed Indian investments into the port and said it would serve as a platform to connect businesses in regional and global markets. “India represents an important and growing dimension of Sohar’s international investment landscape, with established Indian businesses already contributing to our industrial ecosystem. There is significant potential to deepen this relationship through investments that complement our industrial clusters, strengthen value chains and create new opportunities for growth,” said Raid Al Rubaiey, CEO of Sohar Freezone and Deputy CEO of Sohar Port.
Far from Strait of Hormuz
The port is located on the Omani coast on the Gulf of Oman, and ships can access hubs in the Gulf through this port as it sits far from the Strait of Hormuz. Mr. Rubaiey said Sohar Port has received investments of over $30 billion and that it is capable of handling 72 million tonnes of cargo annually. “Sohar provides an established industrial and logistics platform connecting businesses to regional and global markets,” he said.
Strategic Advantage
The remarks came at the end of a two-day promotional event organised by the Embassy of Oman, during which the Ambassador of Oman, Issa Saleh Al Shibani, introduced the port and the Freezone to Indian businesses, manufacturers and exporters to increase Indian participation in the port. Earlier, Oman had offered Duqm and Salalah ports to India, but in comparison to these two ports, the Sohar Port has the advantage of being located in the northeast of Oman, close to vital energy pipelines of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and eastern Saudi Arabia. Given the risk of accessing ports of the UAE, the importance of Sohar Port has been growing.
Increased Importance
The Embassy of Oman described the Sohar Port and Freezone as a “mega project” that has been developed by the ASYAD Group and the Port of Rotterdam, offering a “comprehensive range of services, including logistics, petrochemicals, [and] metals”. It also provides the Gulf region’s first agribulk terminal. The Oman-UAE rail begins connecting the port to the UAE’s network, boosting cross-border freight transport. As the Oman-UAE rail becomes operational, Sohar Port’s importance is expected to increase further.
The remarks by Mr. Rubaiey and Ambassador Al Shibani highlight the potential for increased cooperation between India and Oman in the energy sector, as well as the strategic advantages of investing in the Sohar Port.
Original Article: Oman pitches new port that could give India better access to Gulf energy — Thehindu