Eye on piracy, India and Thailand to boost defence cooperation

[Nirvana]

Eye on piracy, India and Thailand to boost defence cooperation

India and Thailand on Tuesday agreed to establish a high-level dialogue on defence cooperation, with a view to enhance efforts to tackle piracy. This was one of the key outcomes of the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Thailand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday at Hyderabad House.

After the meeting, Singh said, “India and Thailand have active exchanges in the fields of defence, counter-terrorism and security... we have agreed to further strengthen them, and to initiate a senior official level dialogue between our defence ministries. We both expressed our desire to cooperate with each other to secure the vital sea-lanes of communications which pass through the Indian Ocean.”

The joint statement signed by the two sides said that this dialogue would regularly review all the elements of bilateral defence cooperation including in the area of defence industry and technology, and would also include discussions on a bilateral MoU on defence cooperation.

Eye on piracy, India and Thailand to boost defence cooperation

 

[Kinetic]

The joint statement signed by the two sides said that this dialogue would regularly review all the elements of bilateral defence cooperation including in the area of defence industry and technology, and would also include discussions on a bilateral MoU on defence cooperation.

Good to see India has initiated defence cooperation with other countries excluding major powers.

 

[Tshering22]

Second step in consolidating ties with the Southeast Asia. It was about time that we considered creating stronger alliance with our once parts and parcel of friendship package of southeast. Thailand and Vietnam are powerful militaries of Southeast and it is important that we strengthen our ties with them.

 

[SpArK]

A sky dance with the Thai Gripens is not that far away.

 

[Tshering22]

A sky dance with the Thai Gripens is not that far away.

It would be great if we have that but it is unlikely since we don't face common aerial threats. Thailand has problems with Cambodia, who is again a good friend of ours. Any aerial exercise would be generally considered only when the common enemy is out of Southeast or South Asia. I only hope that we have the MRCA ready by then because the babus are screwing up and making MRCA look like another BOFORS.

 

[sancho]

It would be great if we have that but it is unlikely since we don't face common aerial threats. Thailand has problems with Cambodia, who is again a good friend of ours. Any aerial exercise would be generally considered only when the common enemy is out of Southeast or South Asia. I only hope that we have the MRCA ready by then because the babus are screwing up and making MRCA look like another BOFORS.

I wouldn't rule that out, we make several defense exersises with Singapore, although we have good relations to Malaysia, or Indonesia as well. In the long term I hope, that IAF will be able to build up a bigger exercise comparable to Red Flag with Asian air forces. That would not only increase the capabilities out the forces, but also improve the relations of the nations, not to mention that it could be interesting if we want to be a maintenance and upgrade hub in Asia, for Russian fighters (Mig 29s and Flankers).