The Thai delegation will visit DRDO headquarters to discuss enhancing defence industrial capabilities through cooperation in defence research and joint production.
The 9th India-Thailand Defence Dialogue was held in New Delhi on December 12, 2024. The meeting was co-chaired by Shri Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) from India, and Gen Tharapong Malakam, Thailand’s Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence. This dialogue is part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between India and Thailand. It serves as a platform to review the progress of current initiatives and to identify areas for future collaboration in defence and security.
In July 2024, the Indian Army and the Royal Thailand Army conducted Exercise MAITREE 2024 in Thailand’s Tak Province, focusing on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in jungle and urban environments. Additionally, both sides have agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to effectively steer and monitor cooperation in the defence industry.
The Indian co-chair emphasized the significant potential of the domestic defence industry, which possesses both the capacity and capability to effectively collaborate with the Royal Thai Armed Forces on their defence acquisition initiatives. Thailand acknowledged the strengths of the Indian defence industry ecosystem and proposed to actively explore avenues for co-design, co-production, and co-development in the defence sector, recognizing the strategic advantages of such partnerships.
Thailand, as a maritime neighbor and a key partner in India’s ‘Act East’ Policy, plays an essential role in the broader Indo-Pacific region. The alignment of Thailand’s ‘Act West’ Policy with India’s ‘Act East’ Policy creates a strong foundation for substantially elevating bilateral relations, fostering deeper cooperation and mutual development between the two nations.
