TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SYRIA

TRADE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA AND
THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SYRIA

Damascus
The Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Syrian Republic,
ANIMATED by the desire to develop and strengthen the trade between the two countries,
AND to promote closer economic relations,
HAVE agreed as follows:

Article I
The two Contracting Parties shall accord to the commerce of each other, treatment no less favourable than that accorded to the commerce of any third country. This provision shall not, however, apply to the grant or continuance of any:

• advantages accorded by either of the Contracting Parties to contiguous countries;
• advantages resulting from any customs union or free trade area to which either of the Contracting Parties is or may become a party.
• preferences and advantages accorded by India or Syria to any country existing on the date of this Agreement or in replacement thereof.
• advantages accorded by virtue of a multilateral economic agreement desired to liberalise conditions of international.
• any advantages of preferences accorded under any scheme for expansion of trade and economic cooperation amongst developing countries which is open for participation by all developing countries and to which either Government is or may become a Party.

Article II
Subject to their respective import, export, foreign exchange and other regulations, the two Contracting Parties shall give the maximum possible facilities and take all appropriate measures to promote trade between the two countries in all possible ways, in particular with regard to the items mentioned in Schedules ‘I’ and ‘S’ to this Agreement (Annexed).

Nothing in this Agreement shall preclude trade in goods and commodities not mentioned in the said Schedules.

Article III
All payments for current transactions under this Agreement shall be effected in convertible currency.

Article IV
The two Contracting Parties agree to grant each other, subject to their respective laws and regulations, reasonable facilities for holding trade fairs and exhibitions in their respective territories.

Article V
Nationals of either Contracting Party shall be permitted to enter, sojourn, travel or reside in the territory of the other Party for the purpose of promoting trade between the two countries, provided that the enjoyment of the above rights shall be subject to the laws and regulations of such other Party which are generally applicable to all foreigners alike.

Article VI
The two Contracting Parties undertake to co-operate for mutual benefit with a view to strengthening economic relations between the two countries, and to furthering the interchange and use of scientific and technical knowledge particularly by affording opportunities for technical training and assistance wherever possible.

Article VII
Merchant ships of either Contracting Party entering, staying in or leaving the ports of the other country shall be, accorded most favoured nation treatment in respect of all facilities and charges provided under its laws, rules and regulations to merchant ships of any third party. This principle, however, shall not be applied to ships engaged in coastal traffic.

Article VIII

• For purposes of this Agreement, goods originating in Syria, shall be regarded as Syrian products and goods originating in India as Indian products.
• The country of origin shall be deemed to be the country where a product was produced and manufactured or underwent its last substantial processing, or in the case of non-processed agricultural products the country where the products were actually produced.
• Both parties reserve the right to subject the importation of certain goods to the submission of a certificate of origin by an organisation authorised in this respect by the Government of the country of origin.

Article IX
The two Contracting Parties agree to meet at the request of either party to review the implementation of this Agreement and to ensure proper fulfilment of its provisions.

Article X
Before the Agreement comes into force it will be subject to approval or ratification if this is required by the constitutional procedures of either of the countries signing the Agreement. The date from which it comes into force will be the date on which notes are exchanged between the two countries indicating that the approval or ratification required has been effected.

The Agreement shall be valid for one year where after it shall be extended automatically, unless it is modified or rescinded on the giving of three months’ notice in writing to this effect by either Party.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, the undersigned duly authorised thereto have signed the Agreement in two original copies in English both of which shall be equally authentic.

DONE at Damascus this Ninth day of October Nineteen Hundred Sixty Nine A.D. corresponding to Twenty-eighth day of Rajab Thirteen Hundred Eighty Nine Hijri.