I will be visiting Oman and Qatar from November 8-10, 2008. The Gulf region is an area of vital importance for India's security and prosperity. We have always enjoyed a very special relationship with countries of the region. Nothing epitomizes this more than our ties with the Sultanate of Oman and the Emirate of Qatar.

My visit to Oman from November 8-9, 2008 will give me an opportunity to renew with the leaders and people of Oman the very special affinity that has existed between India and Oman through the centuries. I will have the honour of an audience with His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said, and will hold detailed discussions on our bilateral relationship with His Highness Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd Mahmoud Al Said. Both India and Oman have a special vision for our bilateral relationship and I will use my visit to find ways in which we can concretize this vision into a broad and mutually beneficial cooperative framework between the two countries.

I will be visiting Qatar from November 9-10, 2008. We attach great importance to our ties in Qatar, which is one of the largest and most reliable suppliers of our energy needs from the region. Given the complementarities that exist between us, I am confident that we can build a mutually beneficial strategic partnership in this sector. I will have the honour of an audience with the Emir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani and will hold discussions with His Excellency the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassam bin Jabor al Thani. I will discuss with them ways in which we can further strengthen our relations and move them forward in all their dimensions.

The current international economic and financial situation provides a unique opportunity for India to leverage the vast surplus funds in the Gulf for our development needs, and to accelerate trade and investment flows into each other's countries.

We have a large number of Indian citizens working in Oman and Qatar. Their contribution to these countries is widely acknowledged and appreciated by the authorities. I am grateful to both countries for the very warm welcome that has been accorded to them. During my discussions in Oman and Qatar I shall also discuss ways in which we can better assure their safety and welfare.