UK and Oman pledge closer defence and maritime cooperation as Sultan Haitham makes State Visit

The United Kingdom and Oman have committed to closer cooperation on security, defence and trade as Sultan Haitham bin Tarik makes a three-day State Visit to Britain, with maritime security around the Strait of Hormuz singled out as a shared priority. The British government said on 21 October that Prime Minister Andy Burnham would host the Sultan in Downing Street the same day.

According to a press release from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the two governments expect to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime co-operation. It would strengthen information-sharing and knowledge exchange with the Omani Maritime Security Centre. London describes Oman as a vital partner for regional stability and for work to keep global trade flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, which it calls critical to restoring global shipping routes.

Maritime security and the Gulf

The announcement comes while traffic through the strait remains disrupted. Geopolitiki has reported on Iranian claims about mines and halted tankers, and set out why the passage matters in its explainer Strait of Hormuz explained: why the narrow passage matters. The British release does not describe any specific operation under the planned memorandum; it speaks only of information-sharing and exchange of knowledge.

Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the relationship “spans almost four centuries” and that, at “a critical time for the Middle East”, Oman continues to play a diplomatic role in supporting the dialogue needed for a pathway to peace and regional stability. The release adds that the Foreign and Defence Secretaries and the Minister for Trade are due to meet their Omani counterparts during the visit.

Investment and other agreements

Most of the package is economic. The government says more than 1bn pounds of new investment will generate jobs in both countries. An agreement to speed up two-way investment is expected to build on the UK-Oman Sovereign Investment Partnership, first signed in 2022; the release says Oman has invested 1.7bn pounds in the UK since then. UK Export Finance will raise its financing capacity for exports to Oman to up to 7bn pounds.

A British-founded infrastructure company, Yamna, is set to sign an agreement to build a large-scale artificial intelligence data centre in Salalah. The first phase is expected to exceed 1bn pounds, according to the release. London also lists agreements on the responsible use of AI in education, on space cooperation between the UK Space Agency and the Omani government, and a diplomatic partnership pathway linking the UK Diplomatic Service College with the Omani Diplomatic Academy. The Chevening scholarship programme will return to Oman, with applications open from August 2027.

Background

The government notes that the last State Visit to the UK by a Sultan of Oman was in 1982, when Queen Elizabeth II hosted Sultan Qaboos bin Said. UK exports to Oman were worth 1.1bn pounds in the four quarters to the end of the first quarter of 2026.

Prime Minister Burnham said in the release that economic growth, security, defence and education were among the priorities the two countries share. The text published so far does not give figures for any defence procurement or basing arrangement, and none has been announced. Further details are expected once the agreements are signed.