India, Thailand to strengthen bilateral defence ties

BANGKOK: India and Thailand today pledged to take bilateral defence ties to greater heights, calling for cooperation in several areas including disaster management, information exchange and "sea migration".

Visiting Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha who is here on an official visit, held talks with Gen Worapong Sanganetra, Chief of Defence Forces of Thailand, Commander-in-Chief of Royal Thai Air Force Treetod Sonjance and Gen Udomdej Sitabutr, Thai Deputy Minister of Defence.

The two sides agreed that cooperation should be increased with the Bay of Bengal countries to deal with the serious issue of sea migration.

The Thai side expressed keen interest in the area of development of defence equipment and also for higher level of military to military exchange.

The air chief was presented a guard of honour at the Royal Thai Armed Forces headquarters.

Raha, who is also Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, will next visit Vietnam.

The air chief is on a four-day visit to Thailand and Vietnam to further boost bilateral relations with the armed forces of the two southeast Asian countries, which is expected to provide greater convergence at the operational level.