Government officials from India and Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont have begun bilateral talks on energy and commerce, and to speed up negotiations to ink a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) pact. The focus of Surayud's visit, the first after the military-backed government assumed power in September last year, is predominantly economic as Thailand seeks active economic partnership with India built around the FTA to counterbalance its growing trade with China.

Relation between India and Thailand are based on age old historical and cultural links and encompass a range of areas including political, defence, security, science and technology and cultural exchanges.

Talks are expected to focus on speeding up negotiations for a FTA with a view to signing it as early as next month. If the FTA goes through, the two countries can hope to increase their current $ 3 billion bilateral trade by 30 percent per year. India is currently Thailand's largest trade partner in South Asia. While Thailand's trade with China, estimated to be $ 25.1 billion last year, is way ahead of its bilateral trade with India.

Mr. Rakesh Joshi

Joshi Enterprise

Manager, Joshi Enterprise
Dispur, India

Free Member, Joined :02/02/2007
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