Germany denies request to sell submarine engine to Thailand, citing EU arms embargo on China

On Tuesday (May 13), at 10:25 a.m. local time in Germany, a key bilateral meeting was held between Phumtham Wechayachai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of Thailand, and Boris Pistorius, Minister of Defence of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Phumtham praised Germany for hosting the 6th United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting (UNPKM 2025) and congratulated the country on the formation of its new government under the leadership of Friedrich Merz. He also expressed his appreciation that Pistorius retained his post as Defence Minister, reflecting policy continuity in German defense.

Both sides reaffirmed the longstanding diplomatic relations between Thailand and Germany, which have spanned 163 years, and emphasized continued cooperation, particularly in economic affairs, with Germany being Thailand’s top trading partner within the European Union.

During UNPKM 2025, Thailand emphasized its commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations and its intent to enhance the capabilities of the Thai armed forces to meet international standards. Thailand will host training under the Triangular Partnership Programme (TPP) in 2027–2028 and hopes to expand cooperation with Germany in peacekeeping training and personnel development.

Phumtham noted that military cooperation between the two countries continues to progress, including reciprocal visits, specialized consultations, education support, and defense equipment procurement. Both sides welcomed the successful conclusion of the 2025 Bilateral Annual Cooperation Programme Talks and the 7th Politico-Military Staff Talks between the Thai and German defense ministries.

Thailand thanked Germany for supporting Thai personnel in military education programs, which have significantly contributed to enhancing the professionalism and capacity of the Thai armed forces.

Thailand also expressed its interest in collaborating with Germany on enhancing military capabilities, especially in the fields of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI), to modernize its armed forces.

Germany has long supported ASEAN’s efforts, and Thailand welcomed Germany’s acceptance as an observer nation in expert working groups on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and cybersecurity, under the ADMM-Plus framework. Thailand also seeks German support in military medical cooperation between Germany’s International Military Medical Center and ASEAN’s counterpart in Thailand.

Thailand’s Ministry of Defence is working to develop domestic production capabilities for defense equipment to strengthen self-reliance and national security. This includes support for the private sector in four key areas: security vehicles, shipbuilding, unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and weapons and ammunition. Thailand invited Germany to consider integrating Thai industry into the defense supply chain and to participate in Defense & Security 2025.

Phumtham followed up on a previous inquiry to the German Ministry of Defence regarding the possibility of selling a submarine engine for a vessel procured from the People’s Republic of China.

Germany’s Defence Minister responded that such a sale could not be approved due to the European Union’s embargo on the export of military equipment to China.

Both parties expressed appreciation for the discussions and shared a desire to continue strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation in a tangible and productive manner.