8th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue

Tags: International Relations International News

The 8th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue was held in Bangkok on 20th April. 

An overview of the news

• The meeting was co-chaired by Nivedita Shukla, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Defense and General Nuchit Sribunsong, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Defense of Thailand.

• They reviewed defence cooperation between the two countries and explored new initiatives to further strengthen bilateral ties.

• The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of common interest.

• India and Thailand share a strategic partnership and defense is a major pillar of this cooperation.

India-Thailand relations

• India and Thailand share a maritime boundary in the Andaman Sea.

• Thailand was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with India in 1947.

• Since 2001, India-Thailand economic and commercial relations have grown significantly.

• India and Thailand have been cooperating in various multilateral fora such as ASEAN and BIMSTEC, a sub-regional grouping consisting of Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan.

• India is a member of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) initiated by Thailand in 2002 and the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) grouping of six countries.

• The India-AESAN Agreement on Trade in Goods was implemented in January 2010. 

• Since 2015, India has been participating in the largest Asia Pacific military exercise X-Cobra Gold.

• Exercise MAITREE (Army) and exercise SIAM BHARAT (Air Force) are Bilateral exercises between both countries.

About Thailand 

• Prime minister - Prayuth Chan-ocha

• Capital - Bangkok

• Head of State - King Vajiralongkorn

• Official Language -Thai

• Official Name - Ratcha Anachak Thai (Kingdom of Thailand)