Thailand has joined a growing Indo-Pacific defense cooperation initiative as its 15th member, alongside countries including Norway and Sweden, The Dallas Express reports.
The United Kingdom was also added as the 16th member, bringing the total to 16 nations working to strengthen military cooperation in the region.
The Partnership for Indo-Pacific Industrial Resilience (PIPIR) is a cooperation launched in 2024 and further developed in 2025 to help countries work more closely on military equipment and supplies, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
It focuses on making it easier for countries to produce, repair and share defense equipment, as well as strengthen supply chains across the region.
Stronger defense cooperation across regions
Thailand’s membership was confirmed during a virtual meeting on March 18.
Norway and Sweden are also part of the initiative, showing that Nordic countries are increasingly involved in security cooperation in Asia.
The group also agreed on a plan for 2026, focusing on closer collaboration between governments and defense companies, including joint projects and shared production efforts.
