Phnom Penh, March 22 (IANS) Indian Ministry of External Affairs’s (MEA) Secretary, East, P. Kumaran, visited Ta Prohm Temple and Angkor Wat Temple in Cambodia’s Siem Reap on Sunday.

In a post on X, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “Secretary (East) Shri P. Kumaran visited Ta Prohm Temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia, where the Archaeological Survey of India is leading restoration and conservation efforts. Two phases have been successfully completed, with the third phase currently underway.”

The Angkor Wat Temple is the world’s largest ancient temple complex in Cambodia and is a shared India-Cambodia civilisational heritage.

“Secretary (East) Shri P Kumaran visited the Angkor Wat Temple in Siem Reap, the world’s largest ancient temple complex in Cambodia and a magnificent symbol of India-Cambodia shared civilizational heritage. From 1986-1993, India was the first country to extend support for its restoration,” Jaiswal posted.

Kumaran also visited the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation Asian Traditional Textile Museum in Siem Reap on Saturday, Jaiswal said, adding: “The first museum of its kind in the country, it showcases rich textile traditions from the Mekong-Ganga region, highlighting shared cultural heritage.”

On Friday, Kumaran held a meeting with a Cambodian delegation led by Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, KHY Sovanratana, and discussed expanding cooperation in trade and investments, heritage conservation and development partnership.

“Secretary (East) Shri P Kumaran met a Cambodian delegation led by Secretary of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr. KHY Sovanratana to review India’s capacity building initiatives for Cambodia, including training of Cambodian diplomats at Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), Ministry of External Affairs. They also discussed expanding cooperation in trade and investments, heritage conservation and development partnership,” Jaiswal posted on X.

India and Cambodia share warm and cordial relations. In the context of India’s ‘Act East’ policy and ASEAN, Cambodia is an important interlocutor and a good partner, according to the Indian Embassy in Cambodia.

In contemporary times, cooperation between two nations has expanded in various fields such as institutional capacity building, human resource development and extension of financial assistance in infrastructure projects, social security projects and capacity building in defence.

–IANS

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