Ministry of External Affairs Government of India

The Hon’ble Vice President of India Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar paid a successful and productive visit to Cambodia from 11-13 November 2022. During the visit, he attended the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit on 12 November 2022. The year 2022 marks the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and 10 years of ASEAN-India Strategic Partnership. The Summit was historic as it elevated the ASEAN-India relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. A Joint Statement spelling out the elements of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership was issued.

2. The Hon’ble Vice President also attended the 17th East Asia Summit on 13 November 2022. During the Summit he highlighted the importance of EAS as the premier leaders led forum in the region and emphasised on its further strengthening to make it more adaptive, resilient and dynamic. He underlined that EAS is an important platform to promote free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific with freedom of navigation and overflight. Reiterating India's commitment to ASEAN centrality in Indo-Pacific, he called for greater cooperation by building on the convergences of AOIP with IPOI, and highlighted India’s activities to take forward EAS agenda in maritime security, HARD, and sustainable development of marine resources. Hon’ble VP underlined the growing food and energy security that extends beyond EAS and Indo-Pacific, and called for EAS members’ full contribution to the International year of Millets in 2023.

3. During the visit, the Hon’ble Vice President also had meetings with the Cambodian King, Prime Minister, President of Senate. In all meetings the Cambodian Leadership appreciated India's support for the country including in their times of difficulty.

4. In the presence of Hon’ble VP and Prime Minister Hunsen three MOUs and one Financing arrangement were exchanged related to cooperation in the areas of Culture, Biodiversity & Health.

5. Hon'ble Vice President announced an assistance of USD 426,000 for demining of three districts and one commune in Cambodia, and increased the ITEC slots for the country from from 200 to 250 and ICCR scholarship from 30 to 50.

6. On the sidelines, Hon'ble Vice President also met the Prime Minister of Vietnam and discussed bilateral and multilateral issues.

7. Hon’ble Vice President visited the heritage sites of Ta Prohm Temple and Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap and examined the restoration and conservation work at these cultural heritage sites, carried out by the Archaeological Survey of India.

8. He inaugurated the Hall of Dancers at the Ta Prohm Temple. The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archaeological Survey of India and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap) and is being carried out since 2011. India is currently undertaking the 3rd phase of restoration and preservation work.

9. Angkor Wat Temple Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage. India undertook the restoration and preservation of Angkor Wat from 1986-1993 at a total cost of US$ 4 million through one of the most difficult periods of contemporary history of Cambodia.

10. The visit of Hon’ble Vice President of India served to reaffirm our close ties with the ASEAN Member States, in particular with Cambodia.

Phnom Penh
November 13, 2022