Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni arriving on maiden India visit next week

As the countries mark the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, King of Cambodia Norodom Sihamoni will be visiting India on his maiden State visit from May 29-31, 2023. This visit by the King of Cambodia is taking place after almost six decades, with the last being that of the current King’s father, King Norodom Sihanouk, in 1963.

The King will have bilateral meetings with President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday (May 26, 2023). Additionally, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will call on the King.

The Cambodian King will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on May 30, 2023 and President Murmu will host a State Banquet in honour of the visiting dignitary the same evening. The King will also pay floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat during his stay in New Delhi.

​India and Cambodia, who established diplomatic relations in 1952, enjoy warm and friendly relations marked by civilisational, cultural and economic linkages and deep-rooted people-to-people ties.

The multifaceted relationship is based on shared cultural values, commitment to foster economic growth, collaboration in the fields of defence & security and convergence on regional and global issues.

• ​India actively assists Cambodia in capacity building & human resource development through training slots under the ITEC and scholarships under ICCR.

• India has also extended grants and concessional loans for developmental projects.

• Conservation and restoration of the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Preah Vihar are being carried out under Indian government funding.

• India has extended a grant of USD 1.5 million for purchase of demining equipment and has offered a line of credit worth USD 50 million Line of Credit for procurement of defence equipment from India.

• Customised training courses are conducted for Cambodian Army personnel in India and Mobile Training Teams from Indian Army have been deployed to Cambodia for training Cambodian Army personnel.

• Trade between the two countries for FY 2023-23 stood at USD 366 million and is growing. Indian investments in Cambodia are estimated around USD 115 million primarily in pharmaceuticals, automobiles and mining.

"The forthcoming visit of His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia, will further strengthen and deepen the civilisational relations between India and Cambodia," the MEA pointed out.