India And Thailand To Explore Co-Production Of Military Hardware

India and Thailand on Thursday decided to establish a joint working group soon to effectively steer the co-production of military hardware. The decision was taken at the ninth India-Thailand Defence Dialogue held in New Delhi.

A key member of the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) grouping, Thailand is seen by India as a crucial strategic partner in the Southeast Asian region.

"Both sides agreed for early establishment of joint working group to effectively steer and monitor the cooperation in the areas of defence industry,' the defence ministry said.

It said the two sides also agreed to conduct an exchange of 'subject matter experts' between Indian and the Thai armed forces to carry forward and institutionalise regular engagement in niche domains.

In the meeting, the Indian side highlighted the potential of India's defence industry and how it could enhance the capability of the Royal Thai armed forces.

On its part, the Thai side appreciated the capability of the Indian defence industry and proposed exploring possibilities for co-design, co-production and co-development of military hardware, the ministry said.

The Indian delegation was led by the Defence Ministry's Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) Amitabh Prasad while the Thai side was headed by Deputy Permanent Secretary for Defence Gen Tharapong Malakam.

'Thailand is a maritime neighbour and a valued partner in India's 'Act East' policy and the Indo-Pacific region. Thailand's 'Act West' policy compliments India's 'Act East' policy providing a basis for substantive elevation of bilateral relations,' the defence ministry said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the Thai deputy permanent secretary paid homage to the fallen heroes at the National War Memorial.

As part of the visit, the Thailand delegation will visit DRDO headquarters and discuss ways to enhance defence industrial capabilities by cooperation in defence research and joint production.