Home Asia Prime Minister Modi Meets the King of Cambodia, His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni

Prime Minister Modi Meets the King of Cambodia, His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni

On Monday, May 29, Cambodia’s King Norodom Sihamoni paid his first state visit to India. This was Cambodia’s first visit to India since King Norodom Sihanouk, the current King’s father, visited in 1963. At the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi received His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, King of Cambodia, on his maiden state visit to the country from May 29 to May 31, 2023.

His Majesty, King Sihamoni, and the Prime Minister underscored the two countries’ deep civilizational ties as well as their strong cultural and people-to-people relationships. The Prime Minister informed His Majesty of India’s determination to deepen bilateral ties with Cambodia in a variety of areas, including capacity building. His Majesty complimented the Prime Minister for India’s ongoing development partnership measures and expressed his thanks and best wishes for India’s G-20 presidency.

After meeting King Sihamoni, PM Modi tweeted that it was an honor to have discussions with His Majesty King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia. They had a nice discussion on their deep cultural and people-to-people connections and their development engagement.

According to a news release from the Ministry of External Affairs, the state visit commemorates the climax of the 70th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between India and Cambodia, established in 1952.

According to the press release, the King was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 30, 2023, and President Smt. Droupadi Murmu hosted a state banquet in honor of the visiting dignitary that evening. The King also met with the President and Prime Minister on a bilateral basis. The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, and the Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, also paid a visit to the King. At Raj Ghat, the King paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi. In addition, he laid a wreath.

Dr. S. Jaishankar took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the honor of meeting Sihamoni on his first visit.

He noted that his visit, which coincides with their two countries’ 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, underlines the nations’ deep civilizational bond. There is cooperation in historical protection, demining, socioeconomic projects, and water conservation.

India actively interacts with Cambodia through different measures to strengthen its capabilities and support human resource development. This involves giving ITEC training slots and providing scholarships through the ICCR. In addition, India provides grants and concessional loans for Cambodian development initiatives. Notably, India is a key contributor to the conservation and repair of the renowned Angkor Wat, Preah Vihar, and Ta Prohm temples.

In addition, India has generously provided USD 1.5 million to assist Cambodia in acquiring demining equipment. Moreover, India has granted a significant line of credit in the amount of USD 50 million to support the purchase of defence equipment from India. Tailored training courses for Cambodian Army soldiers are held in India to strengthen military relations. Additionally, mobile instruction teams from the Indian Army have been dispatched to Cambodia to provide hands-on instruction to Cambodian Army personnel.

Indian investments in Cambodia are believed to be around USD 115 million, with the majority concentrated on pharmaceuticals, mining, and automobiles.