India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE

India-Thailand Relations

Historical Background

1. India and Thailand have historically enjoyed warm bilateral relations.
2. Diplomatic relations were established in 1947.
3. In 2022, both sides celebrated the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Bilateral Ties

1. The bilateral ties cover areas including trade and investment, defence and security, connectivity, culture and tourism, education, science and technology, and people-to-people exchanges.
2. Thailand's 'Act West' policy complements India's 'Act East' policy.
3. Thailand is also India's maritime neighbour.

Regional and Sub-Regional Groupings

Thailand is an important partner of India in various regional and sub-regional groupings such as ASEAN, East Asia Summit (EAS), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS).

High-Level Exchanges

1. High-level visits and meetings are regular between both sides.
2. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Thailand in 2019 for ASEAN-related Summits.
3. Then Prime Minister of Thailand General Prayut Chan-o-cha visited India in 2018 for the India-ASEAN Special Commemorative Summit and as a Guest of Honour for the Republic Day Parade 2018.

Foreign Ministers' Meetings

1. External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar visited Bangkok in 2023 to co-chair the MGC Foreign Ministers' Meeting (MCG FMM) and to participate in the first BIMSTEC Foreign Ministers' (FMs) Retreat.
2. EAM also visited Bangkok in 2022 to co-chair the 9th Meeting of the India-Thailand Joint Commission (JCM) with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Parliamentary Interaction

1. The Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla, met the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand, Mr. Chuan Leekpai, on the sidelines of the P20 Parliamentary Speakers' Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2022.

Other High-Level Meetings

1. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, addressed the second edition of the Voice of Global South Summit in 2023.
2. The Minister of Health & Family Welfare of India, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health of Thailand, Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2023.

Bilateral Institutional Mechanisms

1. Joint Commission Meeting (JCM): The 9th round of JCM was held in Bangkok in 2022.
2. Foreign Office Consultations (FOC): The 7th round of FOC between India and Thailand was held in Bangkok in 2023.
3. Bilateral Dialogues: India and Thailand have institutionalized various dialogue mechanisms such as Joint Working Group (JWG) on Security Cooperation, on Education, on Visa and Consular matters, and Joint Task Force (JTF) on Maritime Cooperation.

Defence Cooperation

1. The MoU on Defence Cooperation between India and Thailand was signed in 2012.
2. Ongoing initiatives include joint maritime patrolling, annual staff talks, subject matter expert exchange visits, training of officers, and trilateral/multilateral military exercises.

Economic and Commercial Cooperation

1. Bilateral trade has increased manifold in recent years, reaching USD 17.7 billion in 2022.
2. Major Indian companies in Thailand include the Tata group, Aditya Birla Group, Tech Mahindra, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd., L&T, Bajaj Auto, NRB Bearing, Ranbaxy, etc.
3. Leading Thai companies in India include Charoen Pokphand Group, Italian Thai Development PCL, The Thai Union Frozen Products PCL, Thai Summit Neel Auto Pvt. Ltd., Delta Electronics (Thailand) PCL, etc.

Cultural and Tourism Cooperation

1. An Indian Cultural Centre was opened in Bangkok in 2009.
2. The India-Thailand Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for 2022-2027 was signed in 2022.
3. Regular visits of Indian cultural troupes to Thailand are organized, along with Indian films, food, and other festivals.
4. The 9th International Day of Yoga was celebrated in Bangkok in 2023.

Cooperation in Education

1. An MoU on Cooperation in Education was signed in 2005.
2. India offers around 75 scholarships annually to Thailand.
3. India also offered 1,000 Ph.D. fellowships at the IITs to ASEAN countries, including 100 slots to Thailand.

Indian Diaspora in Thailand

1. The Indian diaspora in Thailand is estimated to be around 250,000 people, comprising mainly Punjabi Hindus, Namdhari and other Sikh sects, Gorakhpuris, Malayalis, Tamils, Gujaratis, Marwaris, and Sindhis.

Embassy and Consulate

1. Besides the Embassy in Bangkok, India has a Consulate in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.