Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrives on maiden India visit

New Delhi [India], November 17 (ANI): Syrian Foreign Minister Dr Fayssal Mekdad arrived in New Delhi on Thursday on a maiden visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.
"Warm welcome to FM Fayssal Mekdad of Syria on his maiden visit to India. Looking forward to a productive visit," Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson for the MEA, tweeted.
The Syrian foreign minister's visit will further boost the bilateral ties between the two countries, the MEA said.
Earlier in October, during his visit to Syria, Dr Ausaf Sayeed, secretary (CPV & OIA), announced 200 Scholarships for Syrian Students under Phase III of the Study in India programme in the current academic year.
A total of 1,000 Syrian students have benefitted from the first two phases of the scholarship scheme, an MEA press release read.
Sayeed met with the Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad and discussed various bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
As part of India's developmental and humanitarian assistance to Syria, the secretary (CPV & OIA) also inaugurated the Second Artificial Limb Fitment Camp (Jaipur Foot) in Damascus for the needy in Syria on the occasion of the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The secretary's visit to Syria provided much-needed impetus to bilateral ties, the MEA had said.
In September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had met his Syrian counterpart in New York and exchanged views on developments in the UN Security Council.
Focusing on assistance to the Syrian people, Jaishankar stressed that India would continue to provide humanitarian support to Damascus.
He also discussed bilateral ties with Mekdad, reaffirming India's continued support and assistance to the middle-eastern country. (ANI)