Russia has asked India’s help to convince other countries, primarily superpowers, to help avert a possible financial isolation of Syria due to its involvement in conflicts in the Middle East. Russian President Vladimir Putin made the request when he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Manama, Bahrain last week.
Russia is concerned about the possibility of a mounting financial isolation of Syria over its involvement in conflicts that could potentially have an adverse effect on its political and economic future. India has long expressed its views on multilateral diplomacy and has been a staunch supporter of bilateral dialogue to resolve conflicts, so it is expected to heed to this request by Moscow.
India is the fifth largest trading partner of Syria and has been openly supportive towards its attempts to find diplomatic solutions to its internal conflicts. India is not part of the multi-lateral sanctions that have been imposed on Syria, and Moscow believes it can use this to lobby global superpowers and other countries to influence the remaining members of the international community to ease up on the sanctions.
India’s role is expected to be significant in persuading international allies to take a more considerate and conciliatory approach towards Syria. India is also expected to use its good ties with both Russia and Syria to help build bridges between both countries and the rest of the world. India is well-positioned to act as an important mediator between the two countries to help them find a peaceful resolution to their issues.