New Delhi [India], May 7 (ANI): A particular report by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) has mentioned that altering geopolitical dynamics in Thailand are creating recent strategic and financial alternatives for India, positioning New Delhi as a possible ‘third axis’ alongside the United States and China.
The report, titled ‘India and Thailand: The Compelling Case for a Deeper Compact’, authored by Jaibal Naduvath, argues that rising uncertainty over Thailand’s conventional partnerships is driving Bangkok to diversify its strategic choices.
‘The US, lengthy Thailand’s principal associate, is more and more considered in Bangkok as unpredictable,’ the report mentioned, pointing to Washington’s response to Thailand’s 2014 political developments and tariff insurance policies underneath US President Donald Trump.
At the identical time, the report famous that whereas China has expanded its footprint by investments and cultural engagement, considerations stay in Bangkok over Beijing’s ‘aggressive maritime posture, ties with Cambodia, and coercive geo-economic practices.’
Against this backdrop, ORF mentioned India is rising as a trusted strategic associate. ‘While the US and China stay central to Thailand’s strategic schema, Bangkok is diversifying threat, with India rising as a 3rd axis,’ the report acknowledged.
The suppose tank highlighted that India’s strategic autonomy and absence of ‘strategic baggage’ make it a pretty long-term associate for Thailand. The report additionally careworn the deep historic and cultural ties between the 2 nations, saying India has remained ‘a civilisational reference level within the Thai creativeness arising from over 2 millennia of ties.’
According to ORF, the rising convergence is mirrored in India’s ‘Act East’ coverage and Thailand’s ‘Act West’ strategy, in addition to the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.The report recognized 5 ‘early-harvest sectors’ that might anchor a stronger India-Thailand relationship, that are semiconductors, synthetic intelligence, automotives, MSMEs, and tourism.
On semiconductors, ORF mentioned Thailand’s energy in semiconductor meeting and testing might complement India’s management in chip design and mental property. ‘A bilateral partnership might evolve right into a co-development mannequin linking design and manufacturing,’ it mentioned.
The report mentioned, ‘Thailand is a world hub for semiconductor meeting, packaging and testing, however higher-value design and Intellectual Property (IP) stay offshore. India’s energy lies in design and IP, supported by one of many world’s largest swimming pools of chip design engineers and Electronic Design Automation professionals, together with round 20 per cent of the worldwide built-in circuit design workforce. A bilateral partnership might evolve right into a co-development mannequin linking design and manufacturing, supported by joint ecosystems in supplies, speciality chemical substances, superior packaging and Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT), with out requiring superior fabrication capabilities.’
In the sector of synthetic intelligence (AI), the report mentioned Thailand is searching for trusted companions to construct sovereign AI capabilities, whereas India’s massive AI expertise pool might assist bridge functionality gaps.
The report mentioned, ‘Both international locations goal to develop AI adoption whereas constructing sovereign capabilities. India has made important progress with a sovereign AI stack and excessive ranges of adoption throughout sectors. Thailand, which depends on international hyperscalers, seeks trusted companions to construct its personal stack, develop expertise, and deepen adoption. India’s pool of over a million AI professionals may also help bridge this hole as Thailand develops its home pipeline. Early steps might embody collaboration between centres of excellence, enlargement of supercomputing capability drawing on India’s National Supercomputing Mission, and co-development of Thai-centric basis and multimodal fashions.’
The report additionally proposed an India-Thailand-Japan trilateral framework within the automotive sector, noting that Japanese automakers dominate each markets and may gain advantage from aligned manufacturing and analysis ecosystems.
The report mentioned, ‘Thailand is the world’s tenth-largest automobile producer, with a robust manufacturing base, whereas engineering and design features are distributed throughout international functionality centres (GCCs). India hosts round 50 per cent of the world’s automotive GCCs, creating automobile platforms, EV and hybrid powertrains, battery administration methods, ADAS, telematics and related applied sciences. Thailand’s EV ambitions can profit from India’s expertise in localisation, battery methods and charging infrastructure, whereas India can leverage Thailand’s part ecosystem and proximity to ASEAN markets. Japanese OEMs dominate each markets with deep investments in capability and R&D. An India-Thailand-Japan trilateral might align strengths, create scale, and diversify threat for all three.’
On MSMEs, the report mentioned, ‘Integrating Indian MSMEs into GVCs is essential for India’s Viksit Bharat aspiration, but gaps stay in expertise, abilities and market entry. Thai SMEs are nicely built-in into international manufacturing networks. Indian corporations deliver strengths in design, tooling and software program, whereas Thai corporations excel in precision meeting, electronics integration, testing and certification. Collaboration by task-sharing throughout worth chains can unlock synergies. For Thailand, such a partnership aligns with its Thailand 4.0 technique and reduces overdependence on a 2-country (China-Japan) manufacturing ecosystem. Sectoral consortia in areas equivalent to automotive electronics, industrial equipment, IoT gadgets and meals processing might anchor this effort,’ the report added.
On tourism, ORF referred to as for main enhancements in India’s Buddhist tourism infrastructure, observing that solely round 1.4 lakh Thai vacationers visited India in 2025 regardless of robust non secular hyperlinks to locations equivalent to Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar.
‘India should enhance infrastructure, connectivity and repair high quality,’ the report mentioned, including that higher air connectivity and hospitality investments might considerably increase tourism flows.
Summing up the strategic alternative, the ORF report mentioned, ‘For India to advance its Viksit Bharat ambitions, it wants dependable companions with aligned pursuits. For Thailand to emerge as a world worth creator, it wants partnerships that mix scale with strategic autonomy. India and Thailand supply one another this stability.’ (ANI)