Syria hesitant about India’s role in reconstruction

DAMASCUS: The Syrian government is hesitant about inviting India in the war-torn country’s reconstruction because of disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel, a top aide to President Bashar al-Assad has said.

Remarks of Bouthaina Shaaban, a close aides of Assad, could be perceived as a snub by Indian policy-makers, especially since New Delhi has tacitly backed the Syrian regime since the country’s conflict began in 2011.

Noting the bitter taste left by the Indian premier’s visit to Israel, Shaaban told HT: “Allow me to say that the Syrian people are very disappointed with the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel, because Israel is an occupying and a colonial force which has deprived Palestinians of their indigenous rights.

“We never expected India will move from its righteous and moral stand and pay that huge courtesy to Israel.”

“I can say that while we call for a role for China and a role for Russia, we are very hesitant to call for a role for India (in rebuilding Syria),” she added. Perhaps indicative of Syria’s anger, Shaaban volunteered the response when asked about what Assad regime envisages for India in post-war efforts.

“Regardless of the economic and military relations, because we know there are relations between India and Israel, the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Israel was really shocking,” she said.

It wasn’t India’s working relationship with Israel but Modi’s visit and the optics it entailed that had baffled Syria, she added.

In 2016, India abstained from a UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire following the siege of Aleppo imposed by the Syrian government and backed with Russian military might. Despite the war, highlevel visits continued, including one by minister of state for external affairs MJ Akbar in 2016.

The World Bank estimates the cost of rebuilding Syria to be $200 billion. HT has learnt India has the capacity to take on projects worth $20 billion, a 10th of the total estimate. India’s involvement in projects in Syria includes a $25 million line of credit for modernising the Hama Iron and Steel Plant, completed by Apollo International.

After a gap of six years, Damascus will host its international trade fair, that promises to rebuild Syria, on August 17. Even the destroyed cities of Homs and Aleppo are flaunting huge signboards for the fair .