Diplomatic relations between India and Thailand
were established in 1947, soon after India gained independence. The end of
the Cold War led to a significant enhancement in the substance and pace of
bilateral interactions. India's Look East policy from 1993 and Thailand's
Look West policy since 1996 set the stage for a substantive consolidation of
bilateral relations. The past few years since 2001 have witnessed growing
warmth, increasing economic and commercial links, exchange of high-level
visits on both sides, and the signing of a large number of Agreements leading
to a further intensification of relations. Thailand and India are cooperating
in various multilateral fora like India's dialogue partnership with ASEAN,
the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the East Asia Summit, the sub-regional
grouping BIMSTEC involving Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar,
Nepal and Bhutan, and trilateral transport linkages with Thailand, Myanmar
and India. India is a member of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) initiated
by Thailand in 2002 and of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation(MGC), a group of six
countries. India is committed to moving its relationship with Thailand
forward in all spheres.
LIST OF IMPORTANT TREATIES AND AGREEMENTS SIGNED BETWEEN INDIA AND THAILAND
1 |
Trade Agreement |
(1968) |
2 |
Bilateral Air Services Agreement |
(1969) |
3 |
Maritime boundary Delimitation Agreement |
(1969) |
4 |
Cultural Agreement |
(1977) |
5 |
Agreement on the Delimitation of Sea Bed Boundary in
the Andaman Sea |
(1978) |
6 |
Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement |
(1985) |
7 |
Establishment of Joint Trade Committee |
(1985) |
8 |
Protocol for Scientific & Technical Cooperation
between Thailand Institute of Scientific & Technological Research
(TISTR) and CSIR |
(1986) |
9 |
Establishment of Joint Commission |
(1989) |
10 |
MOU between ONGC and Petroleum Authority of Thailand
for mutual cooperation in the field of exploration and exploitation of
petroleum resources and for training of personnel |
(1989) |
11 |
Agreement between Government of Thailand and the Govt.
of India on the Maritime boundary in the Andaman Sea from Point 7 to the
Trifurcation point Between Thailand, India and Myanmar, initiated in
Bangkok |
(1989) |
12 |
Agreement on Cooperation between the Federation of
Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) and the Board of
Trade of Thailand |
(1990) |
13 |
Cooperation Agreement between the Federation of Thai
Industries and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry
(FICCI) |
(1991) |
14 |
MOU between the Indian Council of Agricultural
Research (ICAR) and the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) |
(1992) |
15 |
Agreement on Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy |
(2000) |
16 |
Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection
Agreement (BIPPA) |
(2000) |
17 |
MOU on Cooperation in Information Technology |
(2001) |
18 |
Agreement on Scientific, Technical and Environmental
Cooperation and Transfer of Technology |
(2002) |
19 |
Agreement on Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of
Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes |
(2002) |
20 |
Framework Agreement for Establishing a Free Trade Area
between Thailand and India |
(2003) |
21 |
Agreement for Exemption of Visas for holders of
Diplomatic and Official Passports |
(2003) |
22 |
MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Agricultural
Science, Technology and Economy |
(2003) |
23 |
Agreement on Tourism Cooperation |
(2003) |
24 |
Programme of Cooperation in Biotechnology |
(2003) |
25 |
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty |
(2004) |
26 |
Framework Agreement on the BIMSTEC free Trade Area |
(2004) |
27 |
MOU between the Indian Navy and Royal Thai Navy on
coordinated patrol Procedures in the Areas. Adjacent to International
Maritime Boundary line and Establishment of Lines of Communication. |
(2005) |
28 |
MOU on Cooperation in the Field of Education |
(2005) |
29 |
Agreement on Friendship/Cooperation between City of
Port Blair and Phuket Province |
(2005) |
30 |
POC on Science and Technological
Cooperation. |
(2006) |
31 |
MOU on Air-Services between India and
Thailand |
(2006) |
32 |
MOU on Enhanced Cooperation in the field of
Renewable Energy |
(2007) |
33 |
Cultural Exchange Programme 2007 - 2009 |
(2007) |
LIST OF IMPORTANT VISITS - 2007
FROM THAILAND |
FROM INDIA |
Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister,
Mr. Kosit Panpiemras visited India from 28 August – 4 September, 2007 for
Board of Investment Roadshows. |
Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Pranab
Mukherjee visited Bangkok from 13 – 16 September, 2007 to co-chair the 5th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Thailand |
HRH Princes Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited
India from 8 – 9 August, 2007. |
Secretary (DONER), Mrs. Sushma Singh visited
Bangkok from 15 - 17 August, 2007. |
Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr. Sawanit
Kongsiri, with a delegation of 22 Thai businessmen, participated in
Roadshows to promote India- Thailand Economic Cooperation in Mumbai, New
Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata from 28 June – 1 July, 2007. |
Secretary (DONER), Mrs. Sushma Singh visited
Bangkok from 4 – 7 June,2007. |
Prime Minister Mr. Surayud Chulanont paid a
State Visit to India from 25 – 27, June,2007. He visited New Delhi,
Varanasi and Sarnath. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister, Mr. Nitya
Pibulsonggram, Commerce Minister, Mr. Krirk-krai Jirapaet and Energy
Minister, Mr. Piyavasti Amranand. |
Minister of Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and
Sports & Development of North Eastern Region, Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar.
Leading a 20 member business delegation from Indian Chamber of Commerce,
Kolkata, visited Bangkok from 22 – 24 March, 2007. |
Commerce Minister, Mr. Krirk-krai Jirapaet,
leading a 31 member delegation visited Agartala, Guwahati and Shillong in
North Eastern India from 22 – 25 June,2007. |
A 9 member delegation led by Mr. Veerappa
Moilly, Chairman of Administrative Reforms Commission visited Bangkok from
10 – 13 March, 2007. |
Commerce Minister, Mr. Krirk-krai Jirapaet
visited New Delhi from 10 – 12 April, 2007. |
Mr. N. Ravi, Secretary (East) visited Bangkok
on 8-9 February,2007, to co-chair the 5th Joint Working Group meeting on
Security Cooperation between Thailand and India. |
HRH Princes Maha Chakri Sirindhorn paid an
official visit to India from 5-10 March, 2007. She visited New Delhi,
Ahmedabad, Ooty, Mysore and Kolkata. |
|
LIST OF IMPORTANT VISITS - 2006
FROM THAILAND |
FROM INDIA |
Minister of Science & Technology Dr. Yongyuth
Yuthawong visited India on 6th Nov, 2006 for the India-ASEAN 12th Technology Summit and Technology Platform. |
Mr. P.I. Suvrathan, Secretary, Food Processing
Industries visited Thailand from 6-9 September 2006 to take part in a
seminar on “Opportunities for Food Processing Sector in India” held at
Bangkok on 7 September 2006 |
Foreign Minister Mr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon (FMKS)
visited India on 8-9 August for a bilateral visit and to attend the 9th
BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting |
Mr. Praful Patel, MOS for Civil Aviation, visited
Bangkok on April 15-16 on the inaugural Nagpur-Bangkok flight. |
Finance Minister Mr. Thanong Bidaya visited India on
Feb. 22 to discuss matters concerning the Asia Cooperation Dialogue(ACD). |
Mr. Navin Chawla, Election Commissioner, participated
in Thailand's Senate Elections Observation Programme from April 17-20. |
| |
Secretary(Civil Aviation) Shri Ajay Prasad, to Bangkok,
for bilateral civil aviation talks on Feb. 9-10. |
| |
|
LIST OF IMPORTANT VISITS - 2005
FROM THAILAND |
FROM INDIA |
| Mr. Krirk-Krai Jirapaet, Vice Minister for Tourism & Civil Aviation, to Kolkata, on Feb. 21–23 to attend the BIMSTEC Round Table and Workshop of Tourism Ministers. |
Smt. Renuka Chowdhury, Minister of State for Tourism, to Phuket on 31 Jan. – 1 Feb. to attend the emergency session of the World Tourism Organization. |
| HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was on an official visit to India from Feb. 27 to March 10. |
Prof. Ram Kapse, Lt. Governor of A & N Islands, to Phuket & Bangkok from June 29 – July 2. |
| Prime Minister Dr. Thaksin Shinawatra, accompanied by Foreign Minister Mr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon and S & T Minister Mr. Korn Thapparansi, for a working visit on June 3. |
Shri B.K. Handique, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Defence, from July 12–15. |
| Energy Minister Mr. Viset Choopiban for the BIMSTEC Energy Ministers’ Meeting on Oct 3–4. |
Commerce Secretary S.N. Menon to Bangkok for ASEAN-India SEOM on August 25. |
| HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn visited India from Nov. 18–23 to receive the Indira Gandhi Prize 2004. |
|
| HRH Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol visited India from Nov. 21–29 to attend a Science Conference. |
|
LIST OF IMPORTANT VISITS - 2004
FROM THAILAND |
FROM INDIA |
Study tour by a 17-member Parliamentary delegation
from the Thai House of Representatives’ Committee on Commerce to Mumbai and
Delhi on Jan. 13 – 17.
|
Shri Shashank, Foreign Secretary on Feb. 6 to attend
the 7th BIMST-EC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) at Phuket.
|
Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Foreign Minister, to New
Delhi on June 8-10.
|
Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister of Commerce and Industry
on Feb. 7 to attend the 5th BIMST-EC Trade/Economic Ministerial Meeting.
|
Mr. Udomsak Uswarangkura, Governor of Phuket, to Port
Blair on June 11-13.
|
Shri Yashwant Sinha, EAM, on Feb. 8 to attend the 6th
BIMST-EC Foreign Ministers’ Meeting at Phuket.
|
Dr. Korn Thapparansi, Minister of Science &
Technology, to Chennai and Bangalore, on July 9-11 for investment
promotion.
|
Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications and
Information Technology on July 1–2 to attend the Asia-Pacific
Telecommunications Ministerial Conference on Broadband and ICT Development.
|
Mr. Uthai Pimchaichon, Speaker of the House of
Representatives & President of the National Assembly, and a 10-member
delegation, from July 11-18.
|
Shri Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of Health and Family
Welfare on July 11 to attend the Second Asia-Pacific Ministerial Meeting on
HIV/AIDS.
|
Mr. Wattana Muangsook, Minister of Commerce, to New
Delhi on Aug. 29-30.
|
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, National Advisory
Council, on July 15-16 to attend the closing session of the XV
International AIDS Conference in Bangkok.
|
Mr. Anutin Charvirakural, Deputy Minister of Commerce,
on Oct. 19-21, for attending the third India-ASEAN Business Summit in New
Delhi and Chennai.
|
PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, along with External Affairs
Minister and Minister of Commerce & Industry, from 29-31 July for the
BIMSTEC Summit.
|
Dr. Pranpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Vice-Minister of
Commerce, from 13–16 December for a business conference organized by FICCI.
|
Dr. Shakeel Ahmed, Minister of State for
Communications & Information Technology, on 3-5 Aug, to attend the 4th
ASEAN Telecommunications and IT Ministers’ Meeting.
|
|
Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for
Environment & Forests, on 17-20 Nov. to participate in the Third IUCN
World Conservation Congress.
|
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