Thailand’s Foreign Minister visited Sweden on August 24 to participate in the signing ceremony for the Royal Thai Air Force’s acquisition of Gripen E/F fighter jets.

The visit, held at the invitation of Sweden’s Foreign Affairs Minister, also encompassed discussions on enhanced defence industry cooperation.

The aircraft procurement follows approval earlier in the year of a $600 million deal for Swedish-made Gripen jets, forming part of a broader modernisation strategy to replace ageing F-16 aircraft.

This agreement was confirmed shortly after a ceasefire was reached in a series of intense border clashes with Cambodia.

The multimodal Gripen jets, produced by Saab, were deployed in combat for the first time during that confrontation.

Thailand 's actions were in self-defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, aiming to limit, not destroy, Cambodian military capabilities.

The visit occurred amid scrutiny over the sale.

While Sweden’s government acknowledged close monitoring by its export control authorities, its embassy in Bangkok and Thai officials confirmed that the deal remains active.

The strategic visit also included discussions on formalising a broader strategic partnership between Thailand and Sweden, extending beyond military procurement to strengthen bilateral relations.

Formalisation of the purchase and related agreements were scheduled for completion during the Sweden visit, with Thai military leadership present to finalise the record-contract phase.