This article covers the political relationship between India and Syria: the basis of relations as the MEA describes it, India's position on the Syrian conflict, visits at the level of heads of state, heads of government and ministers, recent exchanges and the Foreign Office Consultations. It is based on the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) bilateral brief of July 2026.

Basis of the relationship

According to the MEA brief of July 2026, India and Syria enjoy friendly relations based on historic and civilizational ties. The brief states that India's traditional support for the just Arab cause, notably on the Palestinian issue and for the return of the occupied Golan Heights to Syria, has been appreciated by the Syrians.

India's position on the Syrian conflict

The brief states that India's friendly relations with Syria stood the test of time when the Syrian crisis broke out in 2011. India took its principled stand of resolving the conflict in a non-military way and through an inclusive Syrian-led political process, which the brief says has been appreciated by the Syrian Government and people alike. India continued to maintain its Embassy in Damascus even during the peak of the crisis.

India continues to stress a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, in line with UNSC Resolution 2254. The brief records India's firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Visits by heads of state and government

  • November 2003: Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Syria. 9 agreements in diverse fields were signed during the visit.
  • June 2008: President Bashar Al-Assad paid a state visit to India, accompanied by several Ministers.
  • November 2010: President Smt. Pratibha Patil paid a State visit to Syria, accompanied by a large business delegation.
  • August 2012: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met Syrian Prime Minister Wael Al Halki on the sidelines of the NAM summit in Tehran. He expressed concern over the continued violence in Syria and conveyed support for a Syrian-led political process to resolve the crisis.

Ministerial visits

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates Mr. Walid Al Mouallem paid an official visit to India on January 11-14, 2016. He met the then External Affairs Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, and National Security Adviser Shri Ajit Doval. They discussed cooperation in combating terrorism, the situation in Syria and the political solution of the crisis.

Minister of State for External Affairs Shri M. J. Akbar visited Syria in August 2016 and called on the President, the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and other dignitaries. The talks focused on bilateral relations, developmental assistance and issues of common interest such as terrorism and ISIS.

Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs & Expatriates Dr. Fayssal Mekdad paid an official visit to India from 17-21 November 2022. He held talks with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest. During the visit he called on Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar and addressed a gathering at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses.

Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan paid an official visit to Syria from 12-13 July 2023. He called on the Syrian President and the Prime Minister and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral ties, including development partnership assistance, education and capacity building. He also met the Foreign Minister, the Health Minister and the Higher Education Minister. The brief records that both sides emphasised what they called their strong, historical and deep-rooted ties, and reiterated continuity of mutual support in all fields and at international fora.

Recent exchanges

The brief lists the following contacts in recent years:

  • 3 September 2020: the Minister of State for External Affairs, Shri V. Muraleedharan, held a wide-ranging virtual discussion with Syrian Foreign Minister Dr. Fayssal Mekdad.
  • 26 September 2021 and 24 September 2022: Dr. S. Jaishankar met Dr. Mekdad on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.
  • 17 November 2023: Dr. Mekdad participated virtually in the Foreign Ministers' Session of the 2nd Voice of Global South Summit, chaired by Dr. S. Jaishankar.
  • September 2024: Dr. Jaishankar met Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
  • July 2025: the Joint Secretary (WANA) of the MEA visited Damascus.
  • November 2025: the Director of Afro-Asia and Oceania Affairs in the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited India and met Secretary (South) and Joint Secretary (WANA) in the MEA.
  • 30-31 January 2026: a delegation led by Mr. Mohammad Zakaria Lababidi, Director of the Afro-Asian and Oceania Affairs Department of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, took part in the 2nd India-Arab Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Senior Officials' Meeting in New Delhi. On the sidelines, the head of the Syrian delegation met the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister.

Foreign Office Consultations

As of July 2026, 6 rounds of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) had taken place. The first five were held in 1986, 1990, 1998 (Damascus), 2006 (New Delhi) and 2015 (Damascus), at the level of Joint Secretary (WANA) on the Indian side and Deputy Minister on the Syrian side. The 6th round took place in New Delhi on November 29, 2024.

Multilateral cooperation

The brief describes cooperation with Syria in multilateral forums as excellent, and states that Syria continues to support Indian candidatures at international platforms.