New Delhi, May 30 :External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday called on Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni, who is on a three-day State visit. He said the King’s visit, marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, reaffirms the strong civilizational bond between the two nations.

In a tweet, the EAM said:

“Honoured to call on King HM Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia.

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

“Today that is expressed in cooperation in heritage conservation, demining, water conservation and socio-economic projects.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the King will hold bilateral talks at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the evening.

India and Cambodia 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, a statement said.

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 GoI 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.

King Norodom Sihamoni is accompanied by a 27-member high level delegation, including the Minister of Royal Palace, Vice President of the Senate, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and other senior officials from the royal palace and the ministry of foreign affairs.

India and Cambodia established diplomatic relations in 1952.