New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) India on Friday said it is "very optimistic" about finalising an ambitious trade deal with Oman during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Gulf nation next week.

Modi will undertake a four-day visit to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman beginning Monday to shore up bilateral ties with the three countries, especially in areas of trade and defence.

The prime minister will visit Oman from December 17 to 18 in the third leg of his trip.

"We are all very optimistic about it. The teams from both sides have been working very hard for its early finalisation," Arun Chatterjee, a secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said at a media briefing when asked whether the proposed India-Oman comprehensive economic partnership agreement will be inked during Modi's visit.

"We have here immense faith that this agreement, if signed during this visit, will significantly deepen the economic ties between India and Oman. And it will open up a new chapter in the history of India-Oman trade and commercial relationship," he said.

Chatterjee also responded to a question about reports that Oman is keen to supply spares of Jaguar fighter jets to India as the Gulf nation has retired the aircraft from its air force.

"We can inform you that some of the elements of the report were not fully correct. The Royal Air Force of Oman used to operate Jaguar jets, but they were then retired from their service sometime back," he said.

"Now, they are having many spares of these aircraft which they are willing to transfer to us in the near future. And we are expecting that the supplies of those spare parts are likely to come in the coming days," he said.

Chatterjee said trade and investment relations are key pillars of India's relations with Oman and that the volume of bilateral trade for 2024-2025 stands at USD 10.61 billion.

"Bilateral investment flows have also been robust, as reflected in the numerous joint ventures established both in India and Oman. There are several India-Oman joint ventures present in Oman, contributing to the country's economic growth and development.

"India and Oman have cooperation in the defence sector, which includes joint exercises, training, and exchange of visits. In recent years, both countries have cooperated in ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region," he said.

In the first leg of his trip, Modi will visit Jordan from December 15 to 16 at the invitation of King Abdullah II bin Al Hussein to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations and exchange perspectives on regional issues.

Modi will also interact with the vibrant Indian community in Jordan.

The prime minister will also visit the historic city of Petra, which shares ancient trade linkages with India, according to the MEA.

From Jordan, Modi will travel to Ethiopia for a two-day visit from December 16 to 17. It will be Modi's first visit to the East African country.

In Addis Ababa, Modi will hold wide-ranging talks with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali on all aspects of bilateral ties.

"The visit will also help consolidate cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas, including economy, trade, culture, and people-to-people contacts," Neena Malhotra, Secretary (South) in the MEA, said.

"On the economic front, discussions are expected to focus on diversifying trade, enhancing connectivity, and identifying new opportunities for investment in infrastructure, IT, mining, agriculture and manufacturing," she said. PTI MPB ARI