Deputy PM receives Indian Defence Minister

BANGKOK, Aug 27 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan welcomed his Indian counterpart on her first official visit to the country. Lt Gen Kongcheep Tantawanich, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said that Gen Prawit had welcomed Indian Defence Minister Ms Nirmala Sitharaman today at Government House who is visiting Thailand as a guest of Defency Ministry. He said that Gen Prawit had elicited the warmest welcome to his guest on behalf of the government and was proud to recognise the 70th anniversary of close diplomatic relations between both countries which was reached in 2017. Lt Gen Kongcheep said both ministers had discussed plans for future military cooperation for regional security involving mutual sea lanes, joint exercises with the three branches of the armed forces as well as co-development of R&D in defence industries. Gen Prawit also took the opportunity to thank Ms Nirmala for India's assistance in the successful rescue of the Moo Pa Academy football team from the Tham Luang Caverns in Chiang Rai province. In response, Ms Nirmala also thanked her counterpart and confirmed India's support for Thailand bid to host the ASEAN Summit in 2019. Furthermore, she also confirmed that the Indian Ministry of Defence would support the Thai Ministry of Defence's plans to host the Asian Defence Ministerial Meeting as well as the Asian Defence Ministry Dialogue Partners Meeting. (TNA)