EAM Sushma Swaraj’s 4-day two-nation visit to Vietnam and Cambodia

From 27-30 August 2018, External Affairs Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj went on a 2 nation ministerial visit to Vietnam and Cambodia.

India’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

Highlights:
i. Her visit consisted of:

• 2 day Vietnam tour from August 27-28, 2018 and
• 2 day Cambodia tour from August 29-30.

ii. She co-chaired 16^th Joint Commission meeting in Vietnam.
iii. She inaugurated 3^rd Indian Ocean Conference in Vietnam.
iv. In Cambodia, she hold talks and signed 2 MOUs.

EAM’s Visit to Vietnam from 27-28 August, 2018:
On August 27, 2018, EAM Sushma Swaraj visited Vietnam for her 2 day tour.
She was received by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Pham Binh Minh at the government guest house of Vietnam.
On her visit to Vietnam:

i. 16th meeting of the Joint Commission co-chaired by MEA:
On August 27, 2018, MEA Sushma Swaraj co-chaired the 16th meeting of the Joint Commission along with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H.E. Mr. Pham Binh Minh. The following discussions took place:

• Early conclusion of an ASEAN-India Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement.
• Establishment of direct shipping routes between the sea ports of India and Vietnam.
• Several Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were also signed between the two countries.
• India and Vietnam also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in the maritime domain, including on anti-piracy, security of sea lanes and exchange of white shipping information.

ii. She called on Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and discussed the following:

• To boost bilateral trade, investment, maritime and defence cooperation.

iii. 3rd Indian Ocean Conference inaugurated by MEA :
On August 28, 2018, MEA Sushma Swaraj inaugurated the 3rd edition of the Indian Ocean Conference.
i. She discussed on developments in the Indian Ocean and the Indo-Pacific region for peace and prosperity.
ii. On the sidelines of this meeting, MEA held talks with several other nations to strengthen strategic partnership and bilateral relations.
iii. She held talks with

• Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe,
• Japan’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Kazuyuki Nakane and
• Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal of Bangladesh.

Other Important News:
i. She unveiled the bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the Chancery building at the Embassy of India in Hanoi. 
ii. MEA inaugurated the “Jaipur Foot” camp in Hanoi, Vietnam for 500 Vietnamese beneficiaries of the free India-made prosthetic limb.
iii. This camp has been organized by Jaipur-based Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti (BMVSS).
iv. This has been set for 1000 beneficiaries of Myanmar and Vietnam.

Vietnam:
♦ Capital: Hanoi.
♦ Currency: Vietnamese dong.
♦ Prime Minister: Nguyen Xuan Phuc.
♦ President: Trần Đại Quang.

MEA’s Visit to Cambodia from August 29-30, 2018:
On August 29^th, 2018, MEA Sushma Swaraj visited Cambodia for the first time.
She was received by Indian Ambassador to Cambodia, Manika Jain at the Phnom Penh international airport.
On her visit to Cambodia:
i. She had a bilateral meeting with her Cambodian counterpart Prak Sokhonn bilateral and multilateral and important International issues.
ii. She called on Prime Minister Hun Sen and President of Senate Say Chhum.
iii. Both the nations signed 2 agreements to step up cooperation.
They are:

• 1^stMOU is on the restoration and preservation of the world heritage site of an 11^th century temple of Lord Shiva called ‘Temple of Preah Vihear’ in Cambodia’s Preah Vihear.
• 2^ndMOU is on cooperation between India’s Foreign Service Institute (FSI) and Cambodia’s National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations (NIDIR).

Cambodia:
♦ Capital: Phnom Penh.
♦ Currency: Cambodian riel.
♦ Prime Minister: Hun Sen.