Ambassador vows India will further strengthen ties with Cambodia

During a working meeting with Senate President Hun Sen at the Senate on Monday, the Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Dr Devyani Uttam Khobragade said that after the elections in India are finalised, they will further foster good relations with Cambodia.

The relationship between the two governments would further be improved and strengthened in the spheres of politics, economy, and security, allowing for more collaboration in relevant areas.

This year the Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of Cambodia, Hun Manet, will have the opportunity to meet in the near future, she said.

She also invited Mr Hun Sen to visit India as the President of the Senate, and India will warmly welcome the presence of the Cambodian Senate delegation.

Cambodia and India have a long history of relations and in the past, despite the COVID-19 outbreak, India and Cambodia have continued to work well together, she said.

She also urged the Cambodian Senate and government to view India as a reliable partner and old friend who helps to balance regional geopolitical competition.

Ambassador Devyani considered Mr Hun Sen as a good leader in steering Cambodia in a democratic and prosperous way and thanked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and relevant institutions for organising the maiden visit of King Norodom Sihamoni to India last year.

During the meeting, Mr Hun Sen said that he was currently monitoring the democratic election process in India and was pleased with the progress, which demonstrates the great success of democracies around the world.

After Cambodia was liberated from the Pol Pot regime in 1979, India was the only democracy in the world that recognised Cambodia, but other countries, including the West and Europe imposed political, economic and diplomatic sanctions against Cambodia, he added.

Mr Hun Sen vowed to support India, which has a large population and a good economy, to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

He also thanked India for training human resources and providing scholarships to Cambodian officials to study in India, as well as co-chairing the ICC Preah Vihear committee, which helps preserve Cambodia’s cultural heritage.

Kin Phea, director-general of the Institute of International Relations of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that the relationship between Cambodia and India has been good, stable and sustainable.

The Indian government never cut off diplomacy with Cambodia, making India the only democratic country to recognise the government of the People’s Republic of Kampuchea after the liberation in 1979, he said.

“The Republic of India has also contributed a lot to peace building in Cambodia, especially to assist Cambodia in the development of human resources, culture and the restoration of temples in the Kingdom,” he added.