Thailand
India’s bilateral relations with Thailand are rooted in history, age-old social and cultural interactions and extensive people to people contacts. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1947. In 2022, India and Thailand celebrated the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations with a series of commemorative events and activities. Thailand plays an important role in various regional and sub-regional groupings. It is, therefore, an important partner for India in India-ASEAN Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, East Asia Summit (EAS), Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC), Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS). Thailand took over the BIMSTEC Chairmanship from Sri Lanka in March 2022 for a period of 2 years.
Cooperation to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 Pandemic
- Government of India has donated 200,000 doses of made in India Covid-19 vaccine to Thailand under Quad initiatives to assist in Thailand’s fight against Covid 19 pandemic.
Capacity Building & Other Exchanges
- India offers 72 scholarships annually under various schemes (ITEC – 40, ICCR scholarships – 30 and Hindi scholarships – 2) to Thailand. As part of capacity building trainings, nearly 981 professionals from Thailand have been trained under ITEC (in India) and eITEC since 2002. Of these, 512 professionals have been trained just in the previous 9 years since 2014-15.
- India has also offered 1,000 Ph.D. fellowships at the IITs to ASEAN countries, including 100 slots to Thailand. Currently, there are 6 Indian Studies Centres in Thailand. In addition to these India Studies Centres, 12 India Corners have been set up in various Thai Universities/institutions.
- ICCR offers 7 and 15 scholarship slots under Atal Bihari Vajpayee General Scholarship Scheme for the years 2022-23 and 2023-24 respectively and 10 slots under Mekong Ganga Cooperation Scholarship Scheme from 2022-23 onwards to pursue higher studies in India.
- Educator and scholar of Sanskrit, Pali and epigraphy, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was conferred ICCR World Sanskrit Award - 2015 in New Delhi (21 November 2015).
- Assistant Professor and lecturer, Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University, Ms. Dollaporn Phuakkhong was conferred ICCR Distinguished Alumni Award - 2017 in New Delhi (13 April 2018).
- The Council is administering two Chairs in Thailand:
- A Chair of Sanskrit at Silpakorn University, Thailand. MoU valid till Dec, 2024.
- A Chair of Hindi at Thammasat Universtiy, Thailand. MoU valid till April 2025.
