Bangkok/New Delhi, Apr 3 (UNI) India and Thailand agreed to elevate their ties to a Strategic Partnership and also discussed establishing a 'Strategic Dialogue' between their security agencies, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok today.
The two sides also inked six agreements:
Joint Declaration on the Establishment of India-Thailand Strategic Partnership; MoU on Cooperation in the field of Digital Technologies: MoU for development of National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat; MoU on cooperation in the field of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; MoU between the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand; and MoU between North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Ltd. (NEHHDC) of India and Creative Economy Agency (CEA) of the Government of Thailand.
In posts on X after the talks, Prime Minister Modi said:
“Had a very fruitful meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok a short while ago. Expressed gratitude to the people and Government of Thailand for the warm welcome and also expressed solidarity with the people of Thailand in the aftermath of the earthquake a few days ago.
“India’s ‘Act East’ and Thailand’s ‘Act West Policies’ complement each other extremely well and open several possibilities for bilateral cooperation.
“Our talks focused on ways to deepen the India-Thailand Strategic Partnership. The sectors we discussed include strategic areas such as defence, security, maritime safety and hydrography. We also reiterated our commitment to working together to overcome the challenges of terrorism, money laundering and more.
“India and Thailand are eager to enhance economic and trade ties. PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra and I talked about our nations working closely in agriculture, MSME, shipping, FinTech and space. Cultural linkages also featured prominently in the talks.”
In his address, PM Modi expressed deepest condolences for the loss of life in the March 28 earthquake and wished for the speedy recovery of those injured.
He said the age-old relations between India and Thailand are rooted in their deep cultural and spiritual ties. “The spread of Buddhism has brought our people together.”
“There have been exchanges of scholars from Ayutthaya to Nalanda. The story of Ramayana is deeply rooted in Thai folk lore. And, the influence of Sanskrit and Pali continues to resonate with our languages and traditions today,” the PM said.
He thanked the Thai government for releasing a special postage stamp based on the 18th century ‘Ramayana’ mural paintings as part of his visit.
He said that during the Mahakumbh more than 600 Buddhist devotees from foreign countries, including Thailand, participated.
“Thailand holds a special place in India's 'Act East' Policy and the Indo-Pacific vision. Today, we have decided to strengthen our ties into a strategic partnership. Also, we discussed establishing a 'Strategic Dialogue' between our security agencies,” the PM said.
He also thanked the Thailand government for their cooperation in facilitating the return of Indian victims of cybercrime. “We have agreed that our agencies will collaborate closely to combat human trafficking and illegal migration,” the PM said.
“We have emphasized on cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture and education between Thailand and the North-Eastern states of India.
“We discussed growing mutual trade, investment, and business exchanges. Agreements have also been made to foster cooperation in the areas of MSME, handloom and handicrafts.
“We have decided to strengthen cooperation in renewable energy, digital technology, e-vehicles, robotics, space, bio-technology and start-ups. In addition to enhancing physical connectivity, both the countries will work to boost FinTech connectivity,” he said.
“India firmly supports ASEAN unity and ASEAN centrality. In the Indo-Pacific region, both countries advocate a free, open, inclusive and rule-based order,” the PM said.
“We believe in development and not expansionism. We welcome Thailand’s decision to co-lead the ‘Maritime Ecology’ Pillar of the ‘Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative.”
UNI RN