By Ayushi Agarwal
Bangkok [Thailand], April 2 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Thailand marks a significant diplomatic engagement. It is the first official bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 12 years.
While PM Modi is primarily traveling for the BIMSTEC Summit, his visit also holds bilateral significance.
Ambassador of India to Thailand, Nagesh Singh, emphasised the importance of this visit, stating, "The visit of our Prime Minister is a very important one. He's coming here for the BIMSTEC Summit, and he's also coming here on an official bilateral visit to Thailand. Yesterday, I realised that it was the first time in 12 years that an official bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Thailand was taking place. There's great excitement here."
This visit marks the first official bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Thailand in 12 years, highlighting the importance of this trip.
He further noted, "The preparations are going well. Thailand is known for its hospitality and good event management. We're looking for a good visit, both from protocol angles and also from the substantive side."
India and Thailand share a deep-rooted civilizational connection, with over 2,000 years of historical, cultural, and linguistic ties. Their relationship has grown substantially over the last decade, driven by India's Act East policy and Thailand's Look West policy.
Singh highlighted this deep bond, stating, "Our relationship has grown substantially in the last ten years. India--Thailand relations are ancient, going back over 2000 years, and we have a deep-rooted civilizational connection based on our shared beliefs, Buddhism to start with, but you see the influence of Hinduism in the daily life of this country. We have shared traditions. There are linguistic commonalities--Thai language is influenced by Pali and Sanskrit."
According to Singh, these initiatives complement each other, fostering deeper collaboration. "If you look at it today, it's a very multifaceted relationship, from the political side, with a deepening economic and commercial relationship with trade and investment going up on the People to People connect," he said.
Economic ties continue to expand, with increasing trade and investment between the two countries. The people-to-people connection between India and Thailand remains one of the most dynamic aspects of their bilateral ties.
Singh highlighted the scale of travel between the two nations, stating, "It's a remarkable one, because last year, 2.3 million Indian tourists came to Thailand, a large number of Thai people go to India, mostly for Buddhist pilgrimage."
This strong exchange extends to education and knowledge-sharing as more collaborations in science, technology, and innovation emerge. Defence and security cooperation between India and Thailand has also witnessed notable growth.
Singh described this development as a crucial aspect of the relationship, stating, "The contemporary development is on the defence and security side, because we share the common space, whether it's the Bay of Bengal or the larger Indian Ocean region. Today, the relationship on the defence and security side is growing by leaps and bounds between our armed forces and our security agencies. It's a comprehensive relationship and has a great potential on both sides."
During his visit, PM Modi will attend the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, which focuses on seven key pillars: trade, investment, development, environment and climate change, science and technology and innovation, people-to-people contact, connectivity, and security.
Singh described the organisation's strategic importance, stating, "BIMSTEC is a unique organisation - it is an institution which can be a vehicle for India's Neighbourhood First Policy, and also our Act East Policy. It is a bridge between South Asia and the Southeast Asia region."
He further explained that Thailand has given the summit the theme of "prosperous, resilient, and open" to encapsulate its vision for regional cooperation. BIMSTEC focuses on seven key pillars: trade, investment, development, environment and climate change, science and technology and innovation, people-to-people contact, connectivity, and security.
Singh noted that the summit aims to promote regional cooperation, and Thailand has emphasized the importance of promoting trade, investment, and sustainable tourism.
The visit will also include bilateral meetings between PM Modi and Thai leaders, during which they will discuss ways to enhance cooperation in areas such as defense, security, and education.
During the summit, leaders will unveil a 2030 Vision Document outlining the organisation's roadmap for the coming years. Singh also mentioned the upcoming Eminent Persons Group Report, which will provide further direction on how BIMSTEC should evolve.
A maritime cooperation agreement is expected to be signed, further strengthening regional security and connectivity.
"There's also the maritime cooperation agreement which is being signed. So all in all, it has a very comprehensive agenda, and I'm confident it will be a very successful and a defining Summit," he said.
PM Modi's visit to Thailand is a crucial step in strengthening India's ties with Southeast Asia and promoting regional cooperation.
"The PM will be going to the government house, where he will be welcomed with ceremonial honour, where there will be bilateral level talks., he concluded.
BIMSTEC was established on 6 June 1997 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration, of which Thailand is one of the founding members. Currently, BIMSTEC comprises seven Member States, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, all of which share a common economy and culture as well as close ties with one another through trade, culture, and relations among people for centuries.
The Prime Minister will visit Thailand to participate in the 6th BIMSTEC Summit and for an official visit from the 3rd to the 4th of April. This will be the Prime Minister's third visit to Thailand. The theme of this Summit is 'BIMSTEC-Prosperous, Resilient and Open'.
The Summit on April 4th is to be preceded by the BIMSTEC Ministerial Conference and the Senior Officials Meeting.
As per the India Thailand relations, Thailand is India's maritime neighbor, a valuable partner in India's Act East policy and Vision for the Indo-Pacific, and also a highly valued partner in BIMSTEC. Notably, Thailand is the third-largest economy in ASEAN and India's fourth-largest trading partner after Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia in the ASEAN region.