Thaindian News

New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be the chief guest at India’s 63rd Republic Day parade on Rajpath Thursday when President Pratibha Patil will take a formal salute from the Indian armed forces.

Shinawatra, who took over as the youngest Thai prime minister in August last year at the age of 44, will participate in the Republic Day events during her two-day state visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, according to a ministry of external affairs release here Monday.

“This is her first visit to India since assuming office in August 2011. She would be accompanied by a high-level ministerial delegation, senior officials and a business delegation. The visit is taking place in the backdrop of 65th anniversary of our bilateral diplomatic relations as well as 20 years of our enhanced engagement with the Asean (1992-2012),” the release said.

During her stay in India, Shinawatra will call on President Patil and Vice-President Hamid Ansari, and will hold bilateral talks with Manmohan Singh, who will also host an official banquet in her honour.

Her other engagements include a meeting with External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and also attend a business luncheon meeting being hosted jointly by CII, FICCI and Assocham.

Manmohan Singh had visited Thailand in October 2009 to attend the 7th India-ASEAN Summit and the 4th East Asia Summit.

“Thailand is a valuable partner for India in the South East Asian region. India’s relations with Thailand has been historically close and friendly. Steady expansion of cooperation between the two countries is marked by growing bilateral trade and two way investments, close cooperation in defence and security,” the release said.

“The visit of Shinawatra is expected to provide further momentum to our multi-faceted bilateral relationship. A number of memoranda of understanding and agreements in diverse fields are expected to be signed during the visit,” it added.