Paper short abstract

The aim of this chapter is to explore how the conflicting parties in Syria view India’s role in the current crisis in Syria.

Paper long abstract

Though events in Syria continue to unfold, perceptions of India's role in the crisis are likely to have wider and longer-term implications for India's image and standing in the region. Despite the ongoing, bloody uprising, India has expressed predictable reservations about regime change in Syria, in keeping with its enduring commitment to the principle of non-intervention. Yet in parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, this 'default' Indian stance may cause damage to India's image as the largest democracy in the world and as a supporter of liberal values.