Syria looks to increase Indian trade: Delhi the No. 3 foreign investor

Having enjoyed considerable and profitable success with both Iran and China, Syria is now turning its attention to another of the emerging giants of Asia—India. Like China, India has been increasing its profile in the Middle East, seeking new markets for exports and ramping up investments so as to gain a stake in the energy sector and to open trade doors. India’s booming information technology (IT) industry is also looking to the region, where countries such as Syria are just entering the next stage of the technology and communications revolution. In 2006, India was one of the largest non-Arab investors in Syria. Though well behind front-runner Iran, which accounted for half of the $800 million of investments from non-Arab nations, India came in a respectable third with $84 million, just behind neighbor and rival China, which contributed $100 million to the total. India’s contribution to Syrian foreign investment looks even