NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a warm and cordial telephone call with H.E. Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, on June 6, 2024. The Thai PM congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the victory in the recently held general elections in India.
The two leaders exchanged views on further cementing the multifaceted and robust bilateral ties in various areas such as trade and investment, culture, and people-to-people ties. India and Thailand have a long history of strong bilateral relations, characterized by mutual trust, goodwill, and understanding.
The relationship has seen significant growth in recent years, with bilateral trade reaching USD 10.5 billion in 2021-22. India is Thailand’s fourth-largest trading partner, while Thailand is India’s fifth-largest trading partner.The two nations have also strengthened their defense and security ties, with regular bilateral exercises and joint maritime patrolling.
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The 10th Meeting of the Thailand-India Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation in New Delhi highlighted plans to upgrade their relations to a strategic partnership by the end of the year. This includes enhancing connectivity through the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway project and revising the Air Services Agreement.
Cultural exchanges have also played a significant role in fostering people-to-people ties. India and Thailand have a shared cultural heritage, with references to Thailand in ancient Indian literature and the Thai version of the Ramayana, Ramakien. The two nations have also celebrated each other’s cultural events, such as the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in Thailand and the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in India.
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The meeting welcomed progress made in trade and investment and set the goal to double bilateral trade from USD 17.7 billion to USD 35 billion by 2027. Thailand also expressed interest in being a co-lead country alongside Australia in maritime ecology under India’s Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiatives (IPOI).
The Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship and promoting greater cooperation across all dimensions, especially defense, security, economic, and social ties.