Syria is set to dominate the G20 summit that began in St Petersburg this evening, as the US and France look to bridge deep divisions with Russia over the use of military force against Damascus. AIR correspondent covering the summit reports that India is against military intervention in Syria, saying it would wait for the report from United Nations inspectors to fix culpability over the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Although the formal agenda of the meeting of world leaders is geared towards world economic growth, the deteriorating situation in Syria and the debate over the need for an armed intervention look imminent. Following the surprise vote by UK lawmakers last week that barred the country from participating in any armed intervention in Syria, France and the US are the main countries calling for military action .However, Russia and China have repeatedly stood in the way of any attempts at securing UN Security Council backing for military strikes against the regime.

India has made it very clear that conditions can be created for an inclusive political dialogue leading to a comprehensive political solution, taking into account the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. On the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria, India consistently supported elimination of such weapons worldwide.