AMN / Phnom Penh

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today arrived on her first official visit to Cambodia. Her visit aimed at deepen India’s strategic cooperation with one of the key ASEAN countries amidst China’s rising influence in the region.

Swaraj arrived in Phnom Penh from Vietnam on the concluding leg of her four-day two-nation tour.

She was received by Indian Ambassador to Cambodia, Manika Jain and other senior officials at the Phnom Penh international airport.

During the two-day visit, Swaraj will hold extensive talks with her Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn, covering the entire spectrum of the bilateral and regional issues of mutual interests.

She will call on Prime Minister Hun Sen and President of the Senate Say Chhum. Swaraj’s visit to the two key ASEAN nations is seen as India’s attempt to balance China’s rising influence in the Southeast Asian region.

Earlier, Mrs. Sushma Swaraj, who was in Vietnam on a two-day bilateral visit has said that India is now devoting more resources and assigning greater priority to building connectivity in its immediate neighbourhood. Addressing the 3rd Indian Ocean Conference in Hanoi, Swaraj said that in an inter-dependent world characterised by enhanced economic and trade linkages, the importance of sustainable use of the ocean resources cannot be overstated.

She said India considers the Indian Ocean Rim Association as an important instrument for achieving peace and security in the region. On the issue of contributing to regional maritime security, Swaraj said India is working to ensure the safety and security of maritime traffic through the ocean by strengthening skills and logistics of the Indian Ocean neighbours.