India-Syria Relations

3. Bilateral Agreements/ treaties: There are a number of important agreements between India and Syria for all round development of bilateral relations. Agreement on Mutual Cooperation between National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) from India and Syria aims at modernizing and developing the small Scale sector in Syria. Department of IT and the Syrian side have agreed to setup a Working Group on IT to realize the existing potential in IT sector between the two countries with focus on IT software, e-commerce, information security, IT-related education and IT-enabled services.

India and Syria also have agreements in the fields of education and cultural exchanges. In an effort to revive and enhance the old cultural relations between the Arab Nation and the people of India and to get a deeper insight in the culture, art and literature of both the countries, an agreement has been signed between Arab Writer’s Union of Syria and Sahitya Academy of India.

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Both sides also have a MoU to cooperate in the fields of agricultural science and technology, agricultural production and agro-processing through joint activities and exchanges. Both sides also agreed to facilitate and promote technical cooperation in the form of the joint projects for specific areas of technical cooperation. India and Syria also have an understanding for exploring the feasibility of the cooperation in the Information Technology and Computer Software fields through establishing an Indo-Syrian Information Technology Institute in Syria.

4. Bilateral Visits: In the last 5 years a number of bilateral visits have taken place. Former Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Mr. Arun Jaitley visited Syria in January 2000. During the visit, an agreement for media cooperation between the two countries was signed. The former HRD Minister Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi participated in the funeral ceremonies of late President H.E. Mr. Hafez Al-Assad in June 2000. After Dr. Bashar Al-Assad became the President in July 2000, the first Ministerial delegation that went abroad was to India. It was led by the then Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs and included Ministers of Planning, Industry, Science & Technology and Higher Education. They participated in the bilateral Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting in New Delhi. Former EAM Shri Jaswant Singh visited Syria in Jan/Feb 2001 and former EAM Yashwant Sinha visited Syria in August 2003. Syrian Deputy PM & Foreign Minister H.E. Farouk Al- Shara’ visited India in August 2002.

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Former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee accompanied by Minister of External Affairs, the National Security Advisor and a delegation comprising of senior officials paid a 3-day official visit (14-16 November, 2003) to Syria, the first visit of an Indian Prime Minister after a gap of 15 years.

During the visit a number of agreements were signed including agreement on Cultural Cooperation, Education Exchange Programme, MOUs in the field of Information Technology & Services, Technical Cooperation, Small Scale Industries Biotechnology and Science & Technology. Special Envoy for West Asia and Middle East, Ambassador Gharekhan visited Syria this year (2005).

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5. Commercial & Economic Relations: Bilateral trade and economic relations are guided by the Trade Agreement signed in 1978. The Indo-Syrian Joint Trade Committee constituted under it last met at the Ministerial level in July 2000 in New Delhi. Later on it was decided to elevate the Joint Trade Committee (JTC) into Joint Commission (JC) and to hold the meetings of Joint Business Council (JBC) also with it. FICCI in India and the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce are the nodal agencies fro the Joint Business Council.

Indo-Syrian commercial exchanges have been increasing at a comfortable pace in the past few years. In 1995-96 India’s exports to Syria were around US$ 30.40 million as against imports of US$ 11.70 million. During 2002-2003, India’s export to Syria had increased to US$ 107.47 million and a Syrian import during
the corresponding period stood at US$ 8.90 million. Thus, the bilateral trade nearly tripled in 7 years and has crossed US$ 115 million mark. The bilateral trade is in favour of India. Indian exports to Syria consists largely of man made yarns and textiles, machinery and equipment, drugs, transport equipment, jute & jute products, metal products, plastic and linoleum products, rubber manufactured products and electronic goods. However, imports from Syria are limited largely to raw cotton, pulses, raw wool and phosphates.

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6. S&T Relations: CMC, India is providing technical know how for the computerization of the railways services in Syria and Syria has a Protocol Agreement with IRCON for setting up of a locomotive workshop and designing and construction of new railway tracks in Syria was also signed.

7. Chairs in Universities on Indian Studies: None

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8. Major Indian Projects: KEC (I) Ltd. had completed a contract of around US$ 48 million for erection of electricity transmission towers/network for the Jordan-Syria sector. BEML is a regular supplier of earthmoving equipment to Syria. Only recently it has concluded an order of around US$ 6 million. IRCON has managed to get an order of around US$ 9 million for electric sub-stations. ABB (India) has won a contract of around $51.5 million to supply 9 power sub-stations.

9. ITEC Assistance: The number of scholarships has been increased from 25 to 35 since 2002 and these are being utilized fully by Syrian nominees.

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10. Cultural Troupes – Incoming & Outgoing
An Indian Gujarati Folk Dance Troupe – Patel Raas Mandali visited Syria from 17- 24 October 2002. A 25-member Enana Troupe led by Mr. Jihad Mufleh visited India from 11-25 November. The troupe performed in Calcutta, Lucknow, Shahjahanpur, Delhi, Chandigarh and Haridwar. A five-member Indian Musafir Troupe visited Syria to participate in the World Tourism Day celebrations from 25th September 2002 to 1st October 2002. A 5 member Khatak dance troupe led by Ms. Prerna Shrimali visited Syria in August 2003. The Troupe participated in Maharjan – Al - Mahabba Festival being the only non-Arab Troupe to participate in this prestigious festival. A 12 member Bahngra Troupe led by Mr. Ahluwalia visited Syria in September 2003 and prticipated in the Bosra International Festival organised in the historical city of Bosra. A Sufi Troupe from Syria participated in International Sufi Festival in New Delhi Organised by the ICCR in March 2004.

11. Student Exchange Programmes: Each year 5 scholarships under CEP are offered to Syrian students for pursuing higher studies in India. We also provide 14 scholarships to Syrian scholars under the General Cultural Scholarship Scheme (GCSS). This is a unilateral scheme without any obligations from the Syrian side. The scholarships are provided for college-level studies in all disciplines except medicine. The Syrian side also offers 5 scholarships to Indian students for studies in Arabic language and literature. A Large number of students also go to India through Edcil.

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12. Sister city relations: NA

13. Important streets, public places named after Indian leaders: Jawaharlal Nehru Street in one of the main areas of the Capital Damascus and Mother Teresa square in Aleppo, the second most important city in Syria.

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