The Commerce Ministry leads 20 Thai entrepreneurs to enter the Indian market, promoting health foods, herbs, and nutraceuticals, highlighting Thailand-India Co-Creation to combine raw materials and innovations to create opportunities for global markets.
Mrs. Supachai Sutthumphand, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, led 20 Thai entrepreneurs to participate in the Bharat Nutraverse Expo 2026 in New Delhi, launching the Thailand Pavilion to showcase Thailand's strengths in herbs, health foods, functional foods, and nutraceuticals. The event connected Thai and Indian businesses to promote Co-Creation collaboration by combining raw materials, knowledge, and innovation from both countries to expand into global markets. She also witnessed the signing of an MOU between SHEFEXIL and THIA to enhance cooperation in herbal and health product industries.
/** No new information, just a name mention **/ Mrs. Supachai said India is distinguished by its herbal plant resources, biodiversity, and Ayurvedic knowledge, while Thailand has biodiversity, a strong agricultural base, food industry, and capabilities in food innovation, product development, and wellness business. These strengths complement each other, especially in leveraging resources and expertise from both countries to add value, develop new products and services, and strengthen the shared value chain.
“Thailand and India have different but complementary strengths. Linking these strengths will help create new products and services, add value, and expand opportunities into global markets,” Mrs. Supachai said.
/** No new information, just a name mention **/ Mrs. Supachai said this participation is not only about introducing Thai products to the Indian market but aims to connect Thai entrepreneurs with India's business ecosystem—from raw materials, extracts, food ingredients, production, technology to health products and services. The goal is to foster business cooperation through Co-Creation to jointly develop products and expand into third-country markets.
“Our goal is to achieve true collaboration, not just Thai businesses going to India but also Indian businesses coming to Thailand. By combining each country's assets, we can develop new products together and bring these collaborative products to other global markets.”
Turning ideas into concrete cooperation, Mrs. Supachai witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between India's Shellac & Forest Products Export Promotion Council (SHEFEXIL), under India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Thai Herbal Industry Association (THIA). Dr. Debjani Roy, Executive Director of SHEFEXIL, and Mr. Nakarn Tawichawat, Chairman of the Food Supplement Industry Group and Chairman of the Health and Beauty Industry Cluster of the Federation of Thai Industries, signed the MOU to promote connectivity between the herbal and nutraceutical industries of both countries, covering knowledge exchange, innovation development, trade, and investment.
/** No new information, just a name mention **/ Mrs. Supachai said the MOU establishes cooperation mechanisms between industry associations in the supply chains of both countries, facilitating close information flow on demands and regulatory standards, leading to greater adaptability (Supply Chain Agility). This is another tool to promote trade driven by public-private partnerships, serving as a “bridge” linking Thai and Indian businesses and laying foundations for long-term collaboration, including trade facilitation, technology exchange, and tangible development of herbal and health product cooperation.
“We want to see Thailand and India work together using their resources—from raw materials to innovation and end products—not just trade between them but jointly creating new opportunities and linking into the global supply chain.”
Following this, Mrs. Supachai toured the Thailand Pavilion, where the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) brought 20 Thai entrepreneurs to showcase products and innovations covering four groups: Functional Ingredients, Functional Food & Beverages, Supporting Industries, and Nutraceutical & Wellness Services. Exhibits included herbal products, natural extracts, health foods and beverages, as well as wellness services, providing close interactions with Thai entrepreneurs to explore their potential.
After the visit, Mrs. Supachai said Thai entrepreneurs attracted interest from Indian businesses and buyers from other countries, offering opportunities to combine Thai raw materials and products with Indian knowledge and resources to develop new products and expand into third-country markets. This reflects Thailand's strong potential in the health and wellness market, which still has significant growth opportunities.
“Today we saw many interesting examples—products from natural raw materials, extracts, and innovations that can be jointly developed. These demonstrate Thailand’s potential, and by linking with high-potential markets like India, new opportunities can be created for Thai entrepreneurs.”
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