Bangkok Bankidentifies India as a new market with potential, encouraging Thai entrepreneurs to explore opportunities to expand their businesses. Bangkok Bankis ready to become a "thought partner," providing information, financial support, and credit services to efficiently invest in India. The demand for consumer goods remains high, and there is significant room for expansion in investment and production infrastructure in India.

Nat Siri Sophonpanich, Chairman of Bangkok Bank, stated that India is the world's fifth-largest country with an economic growth rate of approximately 6-7% per year, consistently over several years. In the next 5-10 years, there will be increased opportunities for Thai businesses to enter the Indian market for trade and investment. Bangkok Bankis prepared to support Thai entrepreneurs looking to expand into India, including providing consulting, risk management, and financial support. The bank is committed to becoming a "thought partner" that helps Thai businesses adapt and grow robustly and sustainably in this potential market.

As a "regional leading bank," Bangkok Bankis ready to offer comprehensive investment consulting services and support financial needs related to international trade, such as arranging funds for imports and exports, and providing risk management advice, such as exchange rate risk insurance, to help Thai businesses invest with confidence and expand their markets. Additionally, Bangkok Bankis prepared to establish partnerships with local banks and financial institutions in India, enabling Thai businesses to effectively adapt to the complex and ever-changing financial environment.

"Currently, Bangkok Bankhas a significant number of Indian and Indian-Thai clients, both in Thailand and in our overseas branches. With the continuous growth of the Indian economy, many large industrial groups have become our clients and have invested in India, and this number is expected to continue to grow in the future. Bangkok Bankis studying the expansion into branches in India to accommodate the needs of clients and investors, and is also ready to provide informational support to enable investors to make appropriate decisions and enter the Indian market suitably," Nat Siri said.

H.E. Mr. Nagesh Singh, Ambassador of India to Thailand, stated that investors may still have misconceptions about India and do not truly understand the country, which makes them hesitant to decide to invest. However, with the economy's continuous growth, an average annual growth rate of 8%, accounting for 17% of the global GDP, and the expectation to become one of the five countries driving the world economy, India is becoming a country worth paying attention to, prepared in terms of resources, technology, labor, and low costs. It is projected that by 2070, India will become the world's third-largest consumer market, making it one of the most suitable countries for investment.

"Thailand and India have had a long-term cooperative relationship, both at the ASEAN level and in various fields. However, Thailand's investment in India is still lower than expected. Currently, Thailand's investment in India ranks fifth, following Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam," Nagesh Singh said.

Mrs. Pataratida Wong-Ubol, Ambassador of Thailand to India, said that the most important thing about entering the Indian market is trust and confidence, being open to embracing and getting to know the Indian market more, as it is a true rising star for investment. Especially for Thai entrepreneurs, there is significant support in many areas, including transportation connections, which can be done by air, with 328 flights per week, and by land through the India-Thailand-Myanmar route, as well as cooperation between ports. Consumer goods and supply chain products still have significant demand and opportunities in the Indian market due to a population of over 1.4 billion and a high consumption rate. Thai exports to India, such as the food and beverage group, have an export value of over 100 million baht, and the fresh and processed fruit group has an export value of over 607 million baht. In addition, furniture and home decor products are becoming more popular due to changes in the lifestyle of Indians, including automotive parts to support India's automotive industry, which is one of the world's largest automotive production centers.

India also supports more businesses entering India for investment by creating special economic zones in various cities to support a variety of industries. The top industries supported by the Indian government include agriculture and food processing, service industries, hotels, furniture industries, and automotive parts industries. Currently, about 45 Thai companies have invested in India.

"Thai products and investments are still very much needed in India and have a great opportunity for market expansion, such as Thai restaurants in New Delhi, where there is only one Thai restaurant despite a population of over 30-40 million. Thai entrepreneurs who want to invest in India should first export products to India to familiarize themselves with the market, as India is relatively complex in terms of laws, with both central and local laws. However, if they can invest in India, it is believed that this will be a new market that creates a solid growth for the business sector in the long term," Mrs. Pataratida Wong-Ubol said.