PM Modi calls on Cambodian king, assures to strengthen partnership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on visiting Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni on Tuesday and assured him of India's resolve to strengthen the bilateral partnership across diverse areas including capacity building.

Modi called on Sihamoni, who is on his maiden state visit to India at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Both underscored the deep civilisational ties, strong cultural and people-to-people connect between both countries.

Modi assured the Cambodian King of India's resolve to strengthen the bilateral partnership with Cambodia across diverse areas including capacity building, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

Sihamoni thanked Modi's ongoing initiatives in development cooperation, and conveyed his appreciation and best wishes for India's presidency of G20.

Later in a tweet, Modi said, "It was a pleasure to interact with His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia today. We had a positive exchange of views on our close cultural and people to people ties and development partnership."

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also held discussions with Sihamoni on key areas such as capacity building, defence and parliamentary cooperation here, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Earlier in the day, King Sihamoni was accorded a ceremonial welcome by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Modi was also present to greet the king at the forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Modi later tweeted, saying, "Delighted to welcome King HM Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia. Our nations share deep historical and cultural ties, and we look forward to strengthening our friendship and cooperation even further. May his visit mark a new chapter in India-Cambodia relations."

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he was honoured to call on King Sihamoni.

"His visit, as our two countries celebrate 70th anniversary of our diplomatic relations, reaffirms the strong civilisational bond between us.

"Today that is expressed in cooperation in heritage conservation, demining, water conservation and socio-economic projects," he said in a tweet.

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the discussions between Dhankhar and the Cambodian King "covered multiple areas of bilateral relations, including capacity building, conservation of architectural monuments, defence cooperation, including de-mining & parliamentary cooperation".

In a separate tweet, the Vice President Secretariat said Dhankhar recalled the warm welcome and good discussions during his visit to Cambodia for India-ASEAN and East Asia Summits in November 2022.

"They had wide-ranging discussions on bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest," it said.

The visiting dignitary this morning paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat.

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

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.

Bagchi had said the visit was an opportunity to further deepen the civilisational relations between India and Cambodia. This visit by a Cambodian king is taking place after almost six decades, with the last being that of the current king's father in 1963.