New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will attend the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) – India Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit during his visit to Cambodia this week.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), V-P Dhankhar will visit Cambodia from 11-13 November 2022 to attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit.

The MEA on Monday said the vice president will be accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his visit to the Southeast Asian nation.

Cambodia is hosting these summits in its capacity as the current chair of the ASEAN.

The Vice President will attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in Phnom Penh on 12 November 2022, the MEA said, adding that this year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and is being celebrated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.

On 13 November 2022, the Vice President will participate in the 17th East Asia Summit which comprises the ten ASEAN member states and its eight dialogue partners- India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia.

“During his visit, the vice president will also have bilateral engagements with the Cambodian leadership. On the margins of the summits, he will hold bilateral meetings with leaders from other countries as well,” the MEA said.

“While returning from Phnom Penh, the vice president will also visit Siem Reap to review the preservation and restoration work being undertaken by India at Cambodian heritage sites,” it added.

The ASEAN-India dialogue relations started with the establishment of a sectoral partnership in 1992. This graduated to a full dialogue partnership in December 1995 and a summit-level partnership in 2002, news agency PTI reported.

The ties were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2012.

The ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar.