India Friday came out in full support of President Barack Obama's diplomatic overtures on Syria and Iran as six million Indians live there and anything that contributes to peace and stability in the Middle East is in the interest of the people.
"I complimented him for his vision, for his courage in giving diplomacy yet another chance," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after his hour-long meeting with Obama inside the Oval Office of the White House.
Obama had briefed him about his initiatives with regards to Syria and with regard to Iran.
"India fully supports these initiatives because 6 million Indians live in West Asia, they earn their livelihoods there, which is an important source of sustaining," he said in a soft voice which was barely audible.
"Therefore anything that contributes to peace and stability in the Middle East -- (inaudible) -- in Syria is something which is in the interest of the global economy," he said.
"It is certainly in the interest of people in the region in which India is placed," he said.