NEW DELHI: India has put its proposal to create a BRICS fund for reconstruction of Syria on hold as violence and bombardment escalates in the West Asian country. The final BRICS declaration has mentioned the worsening situation in Syria, but initial feelers given to heads of state at the summit last week indicated the time was not ripe for the reconstruction proposal.
Sources told The Sunday Standard that India had broached the issue with its ally Russia about the BRICS reconstruction package for Syria. However, Russia is said to have indicated to New Delhi to wait. Russian President Vladimir Putin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi before the BRICS Summit for the Indo-Russian Annual bilateral. Moscow has dispatched its aircraft carrier to the region.
Aleppo, one Syria’s largest and commercially thriving city, has emerged as the key battleground in the country. The city has been divided in two parts with President Bashar al-Assad’s forces dominating the west and rebels, the east. Russia has been backing the Assad government and is bombing east Aleppo to wrest control of the urban centre from the rebels.
India had thought of bringing Moscow on board for the reconstruction proposal as it has found its position convergent with Russia’s. Both have been against the ouster of Assad’s government. New Delhi is keen to bolster its relations with the countries in the region, including Syria, as most of them are also member of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC). Pakistan has been able to ratchet up OIC’s support for its Kashmir rhetoric.
MoS for External Affairs M J Akbar went to Syria and met President Assad, who appreciated India’s “objective” position and asked it to play more active role in the reconstruction of the war-torn country.