By News On Air Apr 03, 2025
India and Thailand today signed six agreements for cooperation in various fields including IT, maritime, MSME, handicraft and handloom sectors. The agreements were exchanged following bilateral talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Bangkok this afternoon.
Both sides reviewed the progress of the entire gamut of bilateral relations and discussed ways to add greater momentum to the India- Thailand bilateral partnership and exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues.
Prime Minister Modi received a ceremonial guard of honour. In his joint statement following the bilateral talks, Prime Minister Modi announced the decision to elevate the India-Thailand relationship to a Strategic Partnership. He underlined that Thailand has a special place in India’s ‘Act East’ policy and Indo-Pacific vision. Mr Modi said they discussed establishing a ‘strategic dialogue’ between security agencies of both nations.
Mr Modi said that during the talks, both sides emphasized cooperation in the fields of tourism, culture and education between North-East India and Thailand. Both leaders also discussed increasing mutual trade, investment and exchange between businesses. Prime Minister Modi pointed out that agreements have also been made for cooperation in MSME, handloom and handicrafts.
He stressed that India is in full support of India’s ASEAN unity and ASEAN centrality. He also said that India and Thailand support and Indo-Pacific that is free, open and inclusive. Prime Minister elaborated that centuries-old ties between India and Thailand are linked by deep cultural and spiritual threads. He said the spread of Buddhism connected people of the two nations and there has been an exchange of scholars from Ayutthaya to Nalanda. He highlighted that the story of Ramayana is deeply rooted in Thai folk life, and the influence of Sanskrit-Pali is still visible in languages and traditions today.
Mr Modi expressed condolences on behalf of the people of India for the loss of life in the recent earthquake and wished a speedy recovery for the injured. He aso expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Shinawatra for the welcome and hospitality extended to him.
Mr Modi is on a two-day visit to Thailand to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit to be held tomorrow. Upon his arrival in Thailand this morning, Mr Modi was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Suriya Jungrungreangkit at the airport.
Prime Minister Modi, in a social media post, said that he looks forward to participating in the upcoming official engagements and strengthening the bonds of cooperation between India and Thailand. Expressing gratitude on receiving the warm welcome from the Indian community, he said that India and Thailand share a deep-rooted cultural bond that continues to flourish through our people.
The Prime Minister also witnessed a captivating performance of the Thai Ramayana, Ramakien. He said that it was a truly enriching experience that beautifully showcased the shared cultural and civilisational ties between India and Thailand. Mr Modi added that the Ramayana continues to connect hearts and traditions across so many parts of Asia.
The theme of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit is “BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open.” The Bangkok Vision 2030 will be adopted at the Summit, and the Report of the BIMSTEC Eminent Persons’ Group will also be endorsed to chart the future direction of BIMSTEC.
Following the BIMSTEC Summit, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Sri Lanka tomorrow for a three day state visit at the invitation of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayake. Earlier, President Disanayake had paid a State Visit to India as his first visit abroad after assuming office. This will be the Prime Minister’s fourth visit to Sri Lanka during his tenure in office. India-Sri Lanka relationship is rooted in deep civilizational links based on shared ties of history, religion, culture, and strong people-to-people ties. Sri Lanka is an integral part of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy, and the relationship has stood the test of time.