New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Seeking to elevate their ties to strategic partnership, India and Thailand Wednesday signed six pacts in areas ranging from defence, security to trade and decided to step up their cooperation in combating terrorism and piracy.
The two countries also decided to expedite their negotiations for a free trade area agreement in goods, services and investments by June-July this year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra, who is visiting India as chief guest for the Republic Day celebration, held discussions on a wide gamut of bilateral;, regional and international issues.
Six agreements were inked after the talks, including a crucial treaty on transfer of sentenced persons and a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation. The second Protocol to amend the framework agreement for establishing FTA between Thailand and India was also sealed. To enhance people-to-people contacts and innovation partnership, the two sides signed a pact on cooperation in Science & Technology, another pact on cultural exchange programme for 2012-14 and an MoU between Thailand’s Chulalongkorn University and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for setting up a Chair at the India Studies Centre of the university.
In their talks, the two leaders focused on upgrading their bilateral ties into a more broad-based strategic partnership. “Developing close relations with Thailand is an important component of our ‘Look East’ Policy. Strong India-Thailand relations contribute to peace, prosperity and stability in the region,” Manmohan Singh said after talks with Shinawatra.
Manmohan Singh pitched for more Thai investment into India, especially in the manufacturing, infrastructure and services sectors. Bilateral trade is expected to touch $10 billion next year. Indian companies have invested $2 billion in Thailand and companies from that country invested nearly $1 billion in India.
“Given the progress in the relationship, both sides expressed the desire to work together towards elevating the bilateral relations to strategic partnership for mutual benefit,” said a joint statement after the talks. Stressing the need for stronger counter-terror and security cooperation, Manmohan Singh said he underlined to Thai leader the need to put in place a bilateral legal framework to deal with non-state actors and subversive elements that pose a common threat to both our societies.
In this context, the two decided to expedite the ongoing negotiations on an extradition treaty and the mutual legal assistance treaty on civil and commercial matters.
Both leaders noted that the increasing menace of terrorists, criminals, arms and drug traffickers trying to use this region for their nefarious activities provided an added urgency to strengthen cooperation in security and intelligence exchange, the joint statement said.
They also agreed to put in place a five-year Joint Working Programme on specific elements of cooperation would be finalized urgently in this regard.
The two leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and stressed that there could be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.
The Thai leader’s visit coincides with the 65th anniversary of establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations, as well as 20 years of India’s enhanced engagement with ASEAN.
