News Highlight
Thailand organises a series of events to mark seventy-five years of diplomatic ties with India.
To celebrate the 75th year of relations between both sides, the Royal Thai Embassy has organised a series of celebratory events, such as
The textile seminar and exhibition in Varanasi
The painting exhibition at the Lalit Kala Academy
India-Thailand relations
- India and Thailand have historical and cultural ties dating back more than a thousand years before the establishment of diplomatic relations.
- Political relations:
- The relations on the political side are closer and friendlier at all levels.
- There have been regular visits from the Royal Thai family, and exchanges of visits between heads of government, paving the way for closer cooperation in all areas such as military, security, trade and investment, culture, education, etc.
- Economic and commercial relations:
- India is Thailand’s largest trading partner in South Asia and the 11th worldwide.
- The trade volume in 2021 reached almost 15 billion USD, recorded as an all-time high.
- Multilateral organisational engagements:
- The ties between the two sides also extended to sub-regional, regional and multilateral levels.
- Both are members of
- Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
- Mekong-Ganga Cooperation
- East Asia Summit.
- Defence Cooperation:
- The memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation between India and Thailand was signed in 2012.
- Since 2015, India has participated in Ex-Cobra Gold, the largest Asia Pacific Military exercise, in the ‘Observer Plus’ category.
- Strategic partnership:
- India’s “Act East policy” has been complemented by Thailand’s “Look West policy” in bringing the two countries closer.
- India and Thailand are cooperating closely on improving regional connectivity through initiatives such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and the Asian Highway Network.
- Humanitarian assistance:
- Thailand stood by India during the second COVID wave with the delivery of medical supplies, including oxygen cylinders and concentrators.
- People-to-people relations:
- People-to-people connectivity between Thailand and India is much stronger.
- Both countries, through their respective tourism authorities, have put effort into utilising their full potential of “Amazing Thailand” and “Incredible India”
- Cultural relations:
- The shared link of Buddhism is reflected in the regular pilgrimages to places of Buddhist interest in India by a large number of Thai people.
- Hindu elements can be found among those reflected in Thai architecture, art, sculpture, dance, drama, and literature.
- The Thai language incorporates Pali and Sanskrit influences.
- In 2009, an Indian Cultural Centre was opened in Bangkok, which has now been renamed the Swami Vivekananda Culture Centre
- The Indian Diaspora in Thailand:
- It is estimated that there are around 250,000 people of Indian origin in Thailand.
- Many of them have lived here for several generations over the past century.
- The Indian community mainly comprises Sikhs, Punjabis, Gorakhpuris, Tamils and Sindhis.
About Thailand
- Thailand is located in the centre of mainland Southeast Asia.
- Land border:
- West- Myanmar.
- North and East-Laos
- Southeast-Cambodia
- Maritime border:
- South-Gulf of Thailand
- South West-Andaman Sea
Pic Courtesy: freepik
Content Source: The Indian Express