India has embarked upon a strategic road that now, apparently, includes Thailand. The January 25 agreement between India and Thailand to expedite trade talks should also make China wary as it marks a continuation of a process begun in 2011 with South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam – all key strategic concerns for China.
On Wednesday, India and Thailand decided to work closely in building up their infrastructural linkages, specifically with a 1,360 kilometer highway passing through Burma. Also, with an eye on China, India is all set to secure some strategic leverage in the Andaman Sea as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offered his visiting Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra support in the construction of a deep sea port at Dawei on the southwestern coast of Burma, a country which figures prominently in the Chinese “String of Pearls” strategy of developing assets in the Indian Ocean region.
India’s rationale for engaging Thailand and honoring the Thai premier as the “chief guest” for this year’s Indian Republic Day parade is to make its “maritime neighbor,” as Singh described Thailand, into one that is physically connected. No deadline has been set for making the promised India-Burma-Thailand Trilateral Highway a reality. The two sides need to set aside political hyperbole and get theproject completed as early as possible, perhaps as early as 2015 or 2016 in mind.
India and Thailand have injected a new vigor into their bilateral trade in recent years, with bilateral trade increasing six-fold over the past decade. The current bilateral trade figureof $7.5 billion is itself set to double by 2015. The Dawei port project would provide a shorter shipping route and would give India quicker access to Southeast Asian markets under the India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement.
Singh and Shinawatra also agreed on the importance of preventing transnational crime and resolved to improve bilateral cooperation in security and sharing intelligence. By increasing the frequency of their interactions and increasing the amount of bilateral assistance, their law enforcement agencies are likely to forge stronger relations.
Last, but not the least, Thailand pledged support to India’s candidature for permanent membership of the United Nations’ Security Council.
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Mazo
Damn! Yingluck Shinawatra is a pretty lady!
It’s incredible how she was able to come to power so quickly in nation so politically diverse and vibrant. Her Red Shirt supporters must have worked overtime or her “charm” must pay off well with Thai voters. Obviously being from a well-connected and rich family also helps I guess.
Siddhartha
“Damn! Yingluck Shinawatra is a pretty lady!”
I swear! Just look at the President of Argentina. The Foreign minister of even Pakistan is gorgeous. Mamata Bannerjee is way past her prime! Less said of Mayavati the better!!
We really need to have some good attractive ladies to be our public figure!
.. and yes. Pun intended!
Sravan
Lucky Thai PMO!!
Girish
India must work overnight with its “Look East” policy and increase its strategics relationship with every country there. India’s presence has been welcomed by South East asian countries. India will be looking forward to develop defence and stretegic relationship with the region.
Its my personal opinion :
* India must start helping Vietnam in developing short/long range missiles
* We must start working on defense projects in collaboration with south east asian countries who share common values and interests. Ground work has already begin
* If I am a decision maker, I will have helped Taiwan with long range missiles and nuclear tech to safeguard itself, its people and its democratic values.
[This would have sent the message to those to equipped terror state like Pakistan with missile and nuclear tech to be used against India]
Fritz
Yingluck Shinawatra is a pretty lady ?? You must be the typical westerner that has yellow fever, she is not that great looking. She is a socialist at heart and is the daughter of one the most corrupt Thai politician, who still lives in exile because he is too cowardly to face his corruption charges.
Sravan
Sorry for hurting your feeling brother! We weren’t aware of that.
Mazo
Not a westerner but come on – Yingluck Shinawatra is a pretty lady – no doubt about that. You can question her motives, her connections or polices but you don’t have to be a Westerner with yellow fever to recognize that she’s good looking. She may not be Vogue or GQ magazine material but in the world of international politics she is a pleasant sight.
And what’s wrong with being “socialist”? There have been a lot of nations that have prospered tremendously under socialist economic models – just look at the Nordic social-welfare model. Or the Chinese social-market economy. Socialism isn’t inherently good or bad.
Snit Brit
As with all hyperbole in Thailand lets see if this comes to reality.
Italy and Thailand have so much in common, more governments in 50 years
than people born on the planet earth. However, Italy has Venice by design
Bangkok is a canal but not a Venice. Time to get my Fiat and sit in Bangkok’s wonderful traffic.
cheers!