Jaishankar's meeting with Thai counterpart strengthened bilateral ties: MEA

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa have reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation in areas of trade, connectivity and investment.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said this on Sunday, two days after the two foreign ministers held talks on the sidelines of a meeting of the BIMSTEC grouping.

"The two ministers reviewed progress across various areas of partnership covering political exchanges, defence and security ties, trade and investment opportunities, connectivity, science and technology collaboration, health cooperation, culture and people-to-people interaction," the MEA said.

A key member of the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) grouping, Thailand is seen by India as a crucial strategic partner in the Southeast Asian region.

"The two ministers also exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and reiterated commitment to closer cooperation in sub-regional, regional and multilateral fora," it said.

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