The Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Puneet Agrawal as the next Ambassador of India to Thailand, with the announcement made on February 13. Internal observers view his posting as symbolically significant, coming at a time when Thailand’s emerging “Act West” outreach appears to complement India’s established “Act East” policy framework. The appointment is being read as more than a routine diplomatic move, hinting at a deliberate attempt to align strategic narratives across the Bay of Bengal and the broader Indo-Pacific. Thailand is not just an ASEAN partner but also India’s maritime neighbour, linked through sea lanes, connectivity projects and growing security cooperation. New Delhi is expected to leverage this convergence to deepen political trust, expand trade and investment, and push sub-regional connectivity, while Bangkok may see in Agrawal’s tenure an opportunity to anchor its westward engagement more firmly in India’s strategic calculus.