NEW DELHI: India, which had extended tacit support to the Assad regime in Syria since the outbreak of “Arab Spring” in 2011 including backing Syrian-led process to end conflict at various international fora, is planning to revive its economic projects in the war-torn West Asian country as it limps back to normalcy.Delhi, which wants to move ahead of other investors, has allowed Bharat Heavy Electrical Limited ( BHEL ) to revive its thermal power project in Syria. Oil and Natural Gas Corporation ( ONGC ), which has two projects in Syria, also wants to restart its ventures which had come to a halt. Indian companies are also being invited to an industrial fair that is being hosted in Damascus this August -- the first such exposition since the armed conflict -- with an eye on attracting foreign investments “The Syrian government is giving priority to investments from BRICS countries besides Iran as the situation moves towards normalcy. India, an old friend and partner of Syria, is been given priority over China. It is hoped that Indian businesses will showcase their capacities during the August exposition,” Zein Abbas, a member of Damascus Chamber of Commerce, currently in India told ET.Apollo International is among other Indian private business enterprises that is reviving projects in Syria, said Abbas who has business interests in India. Apollo International had won a contract to moderinse a steel plant under an Indian government’s Line of Credit (LoC) facility. The BHEL project is executed under another LoC. Damascus is also willing to offer phosphate blocks to India in the Syrian desert zone, said Abbas.Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis could visit India in the near future with the aim of boosting both politico-security and economic partnership. Counter-terror cooperation, including fight against Islamic State, will also get a boost with this trip. India is one of the few countries which has an Ambassador in Damascus and has maintained political contacts through high-level visits including Syrian DPM to Delhi and MoS Foreign Affairs MJ Akbar to Syria last year.The European Union has estimated that Syria would require $245 bn to revive its war-torn economy. “Syria today needs investments across sectors from infrastructure to energy to healthcare to manufacturing sector. India has a golden opportunity and take advantage of being one of the first movers,” said Abbas.India, it has been learnt, is eyeing major reconstruction projects across housing, power, textile and food sectors in Syria. “What India is trying to do with Syria is to stay engaged so that when reconstruction opportunities open up at the end of conflict, it is in a position to take advantage and kick-start the initiatives," explained an expert on West Asian affairs.India had made two significant investments in Syria in the oil sector in the pre-conflict days. First, an agreement signed in January 2004 between ONGC and IPR International for exploration of oil/natural gas in Block 24 near Deir-ez-Zour in northern Syria. Second, investments by ONGC India and CNPC China to jointly acquire the 37% stake of PetroCanada in the Syrian Al Furat Petroleum Company. The conflict and subsequent sanctions have slowed down ONGC’s operations in Syria.At a BRICS West Asian Special Envoys’ meet in India earlier this year, all BRICS nations including India confirmed their strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria and the need for a peaceful solution, led by the Syrians, to the conflict. Syria on its part has supported India on the Kashmir issue on all international forums, including Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and believes India has full rights to take action it deems necessary following any cross-border strike.