India and Cambodia to co-chair the first India-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting to commemorate 30 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries

Photo Credit : @rajnathsingh/twitter,

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Australian Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles and the US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin in Siem Reap, Cambodia on Tuesday.

During their meeting, the two leaders discussed strengthening defence ties and cooperation between India and Australia. Notably, Rajnath Singh arrived in Siem Reap on Monday to co-chair the India-ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting and to participate in the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus.

“Insightful deliberations with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Richard Marles on boosting defence ties and deepening cooperation between India and Australia in Siem Reap, Cambodia today,” Rajnath Singh tweeted.

In a tweet, Richard Marles shared details about his meeting with Rajnath Singh, saying that they discussed shared ambitions for future cooperation between the two nations and reviewed the growth of the defence partnership in 2022.

“Great to see Rajnath Singh today to reflect on the significant growth of our defence partnership in 2022 and discuss our shared ambitions for future cooperation,” Richard Marles tweeted. Australia and India are great friends and we both want an open, prosperous and secure Indo-Pacific.

Rajnath Singh also met with US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin during his visit to Cambodia. He tweeted, “Delighted to meet the US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd J Austin, in Siem Reap.” In Cambodia, he also met with New Zealand Defence Minister Peeni Henare.

In another tweet, Singh said, “Had a wonderful interaction with the Defence Minister of New Zealand, Peeni Henare.” Earlier on Monday, Rajnath Singh met with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, General TEA Banh.

During the meeting, Rajnath Singh and TEA Benh emphasised India and Cambodia's rich cultural and historical ties. According to a press release from the Ministry of Defence, the two leaders recognised Angkor Wat, an ancient temple complex in Cambodia, as a symbol of the two countries' “long-lasting ties.”

This year marks the 70th anniversary of India-Cambodia diplomatic relations. During the meeting, Rajnath Singh congratulated Cambodia on its upcoming ASEAN and ADMM Plus chairmanship. The two leaders reviewed all aspects of defence cooperation and discussed mutually beneficial avenues for furthering bilateral relations between the two countries.

Notably, on Tuesday, India and Cambodia co-chair the first India-ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting to commemorate 30 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Rajnath Singh will preside over the India-ASEAN meeting. On Wednesday, he will also attend the ADMM Plus meeting.

During the meeting, various initiatives to strengthen India-ASEAN cooperation are scheduled to be announced. As chair of the ADMM Plus meeting, Cambodia will host the 9th annual meeting on Wednesday and the Raksha Mantri will address the forum. During his visit, he will also meet with Cambodia's Prime Minister, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defence.