An Iftar banquet organized by Indian Embassy in Damascus on anniversary of launching ITEC program

Damascus, SANA- Indian Embassy in Damascus organized on Tuesday an Iftar banquet at Dama rose Hotel on the occasion of launching the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program, ITEC.

The Chargé d’Affaires of the Indian Embassy in Damascus, Satender Kumar Yadav, said in a speech that Syria and India are linked with friendly relations and both countries support each other on all levels in the international forums.

Yadav added that the ITEC programs continuation of providing vocational training in the partner countries, like Syria is an evidence of the continued bilateral cooperation, the Syrian-Indian friendship and the firm and deep-rooted relations between the two countries.

ITEC is a demand driven program, therefore, assistance offered under ITEC is usually in response to requests received from friendly countries it covers various fields of employees training. The program includes a wide range of sectors, such as information technology, language skills, banking, administration and scientific fields, the Indian Diplomat said, adding that the number of the Syrian beneficiaries from the program reached to more than 2000 trainers.

Head of the Planning and International Cooperation Authority, Fadi Salti al- Khalil, in turn hailed the historical and deep relations between Syria and India, indicating the importance of the Signed agreements, MoUs and the executive program between the two countries, particularly that India is one of the largest strategic partners of Syria in the economic, technological and cultural domains.

Al-Khalil expressed hope on Indian companies’ participation in the rebuilding stage in Syria, and the work on developing the commercial relations between both countries, in addition to enhancing financial and banking cooperation and increasing the number of Indian scholarships for Syrian students.

He expressed the Syrian Government’s appreciation over India’s support to the Syrian people during the crisis that Syria has witnessed and its standing by Syria on the political and humanitarian levels.

The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program, ITEC for short, is the leading capacity building platform of the Government of India.  Instituted in September 1964, ITEC is one of the oldest institutionalized arrangements for international capacity building having trained more than 200,000 trainees from 160 partner countries.

Hala Zain