Topic:
Country: India
Delegate Name: Ike Webb
Committee: Security Council
Topic: SITUATION IN SYRIA
Delegate: Ike Webb
School: Williamston High School
Since the “Arab Spring” uprising in 2011, Syria has been in a constant state of civil war. However, this civil conflict has sparked sectarian strife, geopolitical rivalries, and the threat of Islamic extremism on a global scale, making it more than just a domestic Syrian tragedy. Syria has fallen into a power struggle between rebel factions sponsored by Saudi Arabia and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran. Qatar and other Gulf nations have also utilized proxies to compete for influence in the Syrian Civil War. India has taken a quiet but predictable stance on the Syrian conflict. The previous government of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which was led by the Congress, reaffirmed New Delhi’s opposition to foreign military action in Syria and urged all parties to engage in discussion for a political solution.
The domestic strife has encouraged Iran to assert itself once more as a major actor outside of the Persian Gulf and allowed Shia militia formations to revive and discover new frontiers for growth. Given that South Asia has the largest Muslim population in the world and that the extremist group IS (Islamic State) has expanded its influence there, New Delhi, which has a lot at stake in the region, is concerned. The concern is increased by the fact that IS has begun drawing young people from India. It is crucial that India’s cautious behavior in Syria be considered in light of the conflict’s salient aspects as well as India’s own interests in the Middle East, both of which have an impact on India’s decision-making. This brief makes the argument that India’s covert support for the Assad regime is motivated by two causes in the context of the Arab Spring, which presented a challenge to the autocratic system. The first is its concern for unrest and the growth of Islamists, as it did in Libya after Gaddafi. The second is its stance on non-interventionism, which is shared by BRICS nations that have resisted supporting a military intervention against the dictatorship.
of the UN
India’s biggest problem with this conflict is the Indian youth that are being recruited by extremist groups due to this conflict, as well as the fact that this conflict cannot be solved militarily but has to be resolved diplomatically. India encourages all parties to talk in a controlled environment such as this meeting. India would also like to state that it is open and willing to give humanitarian aid, as it has in the past.
