Despite the poor prospects for exports, Thailand remains upbeat that shipments to India will grow by 8% this year.
Mr Jurin, right, and Kishore Biyani, owner of Future Group. Mr Jurin is leading a Thai trade delegation to India.
Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit, who is leading a Thai delegation to Mumbai and Chennai from Tuesday to Saturday, said Thai products remain promising in India for food, cosmetics, furniture and decorative segments.
"Thailand is looking for more business cooperation and strategic partnerships with India, particularly during the global economic slowdown," said Mr Jurin.
"We are ambitious about diversifying into non-food items such as rubberwood, rubber tyres, tapioca, construction and cosmetics products."
On Wednesday Mr Jurin presided over the signing of the three memorandums of understanding between Thailand and India, between the Thai Hevea Wood Association and the Association of Furniture Manufacturers & Traders (India); the Thailand-India Business Council and Global Linker; and the Thailand-India Business Council and Bombay Industry Association.
The Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) is teaming up with India's largest online food and grocery store, BigBasket, to set up a Thai flagship store on the BigBasket application and website.
DITP and BigBasket are scheduled to sign a partnership deal in November.
Mr Jurin said DITP has been tasked with seeking a partnership with Future Group, India's leading retailer with more than 2,000 branches and over 600 million customers.
Banjongjitt Angsusingh, director-general of DITP, said India is considered a new market for Thailand and export promotions will focus on seven states there, including Mumbai in Maharashtra and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, where consumers have relatively high purchasing power.
The trade promotions should also focus on Gujarat and Telangana states, as well as the northeastern region of India, said Ms Banjongjitt.
Potential export products are beauty products such as cosmetics, which have high growth.
This year the Commerce Ministry aims for exports to India to grow by 8% from US$7.62 billion last year.
India is a potential export market with a large population and increasing income, she said. The Indian government has an "Act East" policy, offering opportunities for Thai investment.
Last year, two-way trade between Thailand and India amounted to $12.5 billion, up 20.5%. Thai exports made up for $7.62 billion, an increase of 17.8% from the previous year, with imports up 24.9% to $4.86 billion.