Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Monday arrived in India on a maiden state visit. He is accompanied by a 27-member high-level delegation, including the minister of the royal palace, the minister of foreign affairs, and other senior officials.

Minister of State for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh welcomed the Cambodian King at the Air Force Station, Palam.

The state visit marks the culmination of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Cambodia, which were established in 1952, the MEA said in a statement. 

"An opportunity to further deepen the civilizational relations between India and Cambodia," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted.

King Sihamoni will be in India on a three-day visit. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday called on Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and said the visit reaffirms the strong civilizational bond between the two countries.

He said that cooperation in a number of fields, such as historical preservation, demining, water conservation, and socio-economic initiatives, is a manifestation of the long-standing ties that exist between the two nations.

“Honoured to call on King HM Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia. His visit, as our two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, reaffirms the strong civilizational bond between us. Today that is expressed in cooperation in heritage conservation, demining, water conservation, and socio-economic projects,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

At a formal welcome earlier in the day in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the King of Cambodia.

The King of Cambodia also went to Raj Ghat to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. He will hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit.

India actively collaborates with Cambodia to enhance its capacity and foster human resource development through various means. This includes allocating training slots under the ITEC program and offering scholarships through the ICCR. In addition, India extends grants and concessional loans for developmental projects in Cambodia. Notably, India plays a crucial role in funding the conservation and restoration efforts of the esteemed Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, and Preah Vihar temples.

Moreover, India has generously granted USD 1.5 million to support the acquisition of demining equipment in Cambodia. Furthermore, India has provided a substantial line of credit worth USD 50 million to facilitate the procurement of defense equipment from India. To strengthen military cooperation, customized training courses are conducted in India specifically designed for Cambodian Army personnel. Additionally, Mobile Training Teams from the Indian Army have been dispatched to Cambodia to provide hands-on training to the Cambodian Army personnel.

In the fiscal year 2022-2022, the bilateral trade between India and Cambodia amounted to USD 366 million. India has made substantial investments in Cambodia, estimated to be approximately USD 115 million, with key sectors including pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and mining attracting significant attention from Indian investors.

Image source: ANI