Thailand is seeking a strategic partnership with India and is ready to develop bilateral cooperation between the two nations at all levels while seeking ways to foster the relationship between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and India.
Visiting Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Wednesday led Thai delegates to a plenary meeting with Indian counterparts led by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
The Thai premier said that Thailand has emphasised bilateral relations with India through a ‘Look West and Look East’ policy to strengthen close ties between the two countries.
She praised the significant growth and development of India during the past two decades as India has played an increasingly prominent role in the world arena and more Indian businesspersons were ranked in the annual Fortune 500 list of top global companies.
Thailand and India will mark the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year, which is a good opportunity for the two countries to develop bilateral ties as strategic partners for mutual benefit at the regional and international level, she said.
hailand has proposed speeding up negotiations to wrap up the Thai Indian Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by March in order to implement a Thai Indian FTA by mid-2012, aiming to double the two countries trade volume by 2014.
During talks between Yingluck and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday, the two countries agreed to speed up negotiations on a free-trade agreement (FTA) in goods, services and investment by March in order to reach conclusion by July.
Six agreements were signed after the talks, which included the transfer of sentenced persons, a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation, and amending the framework agreement for establishing an FTA.
The framework agreement of the FTA was modified by adding an item for an early-harvest scheme, an official said.
The two countries will promote cooperation in science and technology, cultural exchange and cooperation between Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations at the India Studies Centre at the Thai university.
Source : thailand-business-news.com