NEW DELHI: After detailed discussions between PM Narendra Modi and his Cambodian counterpart Samdech Hun Sen on Saturday, the countries signed four agreements to enhance cooperation on security, connectivity and development assistance while stressing the importance of adhering to the law of the sea.

Hun Sen was on an official visit to India and had joined his Asean colleagues at the Republic Day parade.

Significantly, Cambodia, which is very close to China, endorsed the importance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in a joint statement with India. The two countries “agreed that peace and maritime security is important for both countries. To that end, they support complete freedom of navigation and overflight and pacific resolution of maritime issues based on international law, notably the 1982 UNCLOS”.

India and Cambodia signed pacts for an MoU on the prevention of human trafficking; a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters; a cultural exchange programme; and for a $36.92 million (approx. Rs 234.8 crore) line of credit for Cambodia’s Stung Sva Hab water resource development project. The two sides also agreed to enhance bilateral defence ties, including through exchanges between senior-level defence personnel and capacity-building projects.

Connectivity was a strong focus of discussions, as evident in the joint statement. India promised to “complete the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and agreed to explore the possibility of extending the highway to Cambodia and beyond. Both leaders agreed to have scheduled services operated by designated airlines... in the near future and supported the expansion of air traffic rights and civil aviation arrangements to facilitate people-to-people contact and promote tourism between the two countries.”

India and Cambodia share strong religious and cultural ties going back almost 2,000 years. Cambodians are predominantly Buddhist but retain a strong influence of Hindu rituals, idolatry and mythology.

