Thai PM arrives in New Delhi for ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2018

NEW DELHII, January 25 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has arrived in New Delhi to attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2018, which also marks the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India relations. Accompanied by his entourage, including his wife, Naraporn Chan-ocha, the prime minister arrived at the Palam Air Force Station in the Indian capital at 7pm on January 24 (local time) and was officially received by Indian Minister of State for External Affairs General Vijay Kumar Singh. The Thai premier is scheduled to first attend a retreat of the regional leaders on maritime cooperation and security on Thursday morning, followed by the plenary session of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2018, themed “India-ASEAN Shared Values, Common Destiny”. At the end of the plenary session, the Thai prime minister is scheduled to join other regional leaders in endorsing the Delhi Declaration, under which the ASEAN and Indian leaders expressed their political will to jointly promote and strengthen the ASEAN-India strategic partnership in all three poles of the ASEAN Community (AC), including the Political and Security Pole, the Economic Pole and the Socio-Cultural Pole, marking the 25th anniversary of the ASEAN-India relations as dialogue partners. On the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, the Thai prime ,minister is scheduled to then hold bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, as India is one of Thailand's major political and economic allies with sound relations in trade, investment and tourism. Besides, Thailand is considered a major connectivity economy between India and other ASEAN member countries in the AC through the India-Myanmar-Thailand land route project and the Dawei Deep-sea Port project under the Dawei Special Economic Zone in Myanmar. On January 26, the Thai prime minister will be among distinguished guests, together with leaders of other nine ASEAN member states to attend an official event marking the 69th anniversary of India’s Republic Day, prior to his return to Bangkok.(TNA)