Indian Delegation In Syria, Discusses Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation

(MENAFN- IANS) Damascus, July 29 (IANS) An Indian delegation, currently on a visit to Damascus, met with Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani to explore avenues for bolstering bilateral relations aimed at serving the mutual interests of both countries.

According to a statement shared on the Syrian Foreign Ministry's Telegram channel, "Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani received an Indian delegation in Damascus, headed by Suresh Kumar, Director of the West Asia and North Africa Department at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs."

"The meeting addressed issues of mutual interest and ways to strengthen relations between the two countries to serve the interests of both peoples," the ministry said on Monday.

India has long maintained cordial ties with the former Assad regime, and this latest engagement is seen as part of a broader effort to deepen its diplomatic and developmental cooperation with the current government in Damascus.

In addition to the meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister, the Indian delegation also held discussions with Syrian Health Minister Musab Al-Ali on Monday.

The focus of the dialogue was on enhancing collaboration in healthcare, particularly in pharmaceutical manufacturing and medical training.

During the meeting, both sides also deliberated on the implementation of a scholarship program for Syrian students and the development of a specialised engineering cooperation initiative tailored for Syrian government employees.

Al-Ali emphasised Syria's keenness to build a strong and lasting partnership with India in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.

According to Syria's official news agency SANA, he noted that such cooperation would strengthen the country's national health system and improve the availability of essential medicines.

Suresh Kumar, representing India, reaffirmed New Delhi's commitment to support Syria through funding specialised training programs for Syrian professionals.

He also stated that India would continue coordinating the training of Syrian doctors at Indian institutions while fostering deeper collaboration in nursing, pharmaceuticals, and drug exports.

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