Indian PM Modi to conclude trip to Thailand

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concludes a visit to Thailand today following a visit to the BIMSTEC Summit.

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Summit convened for the first in-person meeting since 2018. The members discussed furthering cooperation and integration. Specifically, the attendees addressed strengthening trade relations, enhancing security, and increasing investment. The Indian Ocean is crucial for the Indo-Pacific countries, especially those a part of BIMSTEC. It contributes to 40% of the world’s oil production and unlocks access to the global market. Collaboration is essential, allowing India to reduce its trade deficit, while the other members gain further access to the world’s fifth-largest economy.

Furthering ties with the BIMSTEC countries will help Modi reduce India’s reliance on its main competitor of China. This is vital for India’s pursuit of curbing China’s rise, as its economy is severely dependent on Chinese exports. More importantly, this will likely reduce other countries’ reliance on Chinese markets and products, allowing India to bolster its regional influence. These ties are essential in preventing regional band wagoning. Specifically, this allows India to further cement bilateral relations with Thailand, which has strategically remained neutral in the efforts to combat China’s rise. Moreover, collaboration is becoming increasingly important for the Indo-Pacific countries due to President Xi Jinping’s pressure in the Indian Ocean. Jinping increased China’s military presence in an attempt to control vital trade chokepoints. Organizations like BIMSTEC are imperative for the restoration of the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region.