TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed Monday (May 30) between two think tanks from Taiwan and India that will push for closer ties between the two countries.

The Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF) and Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation (ORF) entered a partnership via videolink. The collaboration will seek to foster annual Taiwan-India dialogues attended by senior officials as well as the publication of policy papers.

The complexities of geopolitics necessitate further engagement between the two countries and a better understanding of risks and opportunities each country faces, said Samir Saran, president of ORF. India is an important partner of Taiwan and robust bilateral cooperation is in line with the New Southbound Policy driven by the Tsai administration, according to Michael Hsiao (蕭新煌), chairman of TAEF.

Established in 2018, TAEF is the first private think tank in Taiwan dedicated to promoting exchanges with South Asia, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, and Australia. ORF is the largest independent policy think tank in India dedicated to advancing policies for a sustainable India with a wide range of research activities from the economy to climate change.