New Delhi, April 11 : India and Cambodia on Monday agreed to further deepen bilateral relations, especially in areas such as defence and security, health, connectivity, capacity building and development cooperation. During the talks between Secretary East Saurabh Kumar with his Cambodian counterpart, Koy Kuong, Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, in Phnom Penh, he also reaffirmed support for Phnom Penh’s successful Chairmanship of ASEAN this year. Kumar also appreciated the role played by Cambodia, including that by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as the Special Envoy of ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. During the meeting held today, the two sides held comprehensive discussions on bilateral cooperation in diverse areas including political, economic, commercial, trade and investments, defence and security, development partnership, connectivity, capacity building and cultural cooperation, physical and digital connectivity, etc. They appreciated the close cooperation between India & Cambodia and agreed to further deepen the bilateral relations, particularly in areas such as defence and security, health, connectivity – digital and physical infrastructure, capacity building and development cooperation. Both sides decided to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between India and Cambodia, and to commemorate the India-ASEAN Friendship Year marking the 30th anniversary of dialogue relations between India and ASEAN this year. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The talks were held in a friendly atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of discussions at a mutually convenient date, an official statement said. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi in a tweet said: Secretary East @AmbSaurabhKumar had a fruitful interaction with Cambodian Secretary of State Koy Kuong during his visit to Phnom Penh. “Reviewed progress in bilateral issues; exchanged views on regional & multilateral issues of mutual concern.” During the visit, Secretary East Saurabh Kumar along with Indian Ambassador Devyani Khobragade visited the National Museum, the country’s largest archaeological and cultural history showcasing the Hindu-Buddhist empire with strong Indic connect since first century, according to a tweet by the Indian embassy in Phnom Penh. Prak Sokhonn, also the deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Cambodia, paid a three-day visit to Myanmar late last month. During his stay in Myanmar, he met Burmese Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the State Administration Council – the junta administration – of Myanmar “to discuss the progress in implementing the ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus (5-PC),” . It was the second high-profile visit by a Cambodian official to Myanmar, following Prime Minister Hun Sen’s January visit, the first by any foreign leader since the Burmese military deposed the elected government in February 2021. Sokhonn was appointed as special envoy by Sen in his position as the current chair of ASEAN. RN