Mahesh Sharma (left)

New Delhi : India has adopted sustainable development steps to preserve its nature and cultural heritage, Minister of State for Culture Mahesh Sharma said on Tuesday.

Sharma was speaking at the second UN World Tourism Organisation/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture being held in Muscat on how India is making efforts to protect its culture.

During his visit to Muscat, Sharma also held bilateral discussions on cooperation between India and Oman in fields of culture and tourism. He also met Minister of Tourism of Oman, Ahmed Bin Naseer Bin Hamad al-Mehrzi, and discussed cooperation in field of tourism, including early conclusion of the MoU on cooperation in the sector.

“There is a huge potential expanding tourism exchanges between the two countries. People of Oman, due to their familiarity with India, visit India, including for medical treatment,” he stated.

On the sidelines of the conference, Sharma also held a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart wherein the two sides agreed to institute a joint committee to explore areas for mutual cooperation in fields of culture and tourism.

—IANS