India has formally announced its commitment to bolster Cambodia’s defense capabilities through enhanced training and support for its armed forces. This significant declaration came from Mr. Adhishek Arora, India’s newly appointed Military Attaché to Cambodia, in response to a comprehensive request made by General Vong Pisen, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
During a recent meeting on the morning of June 30th, General Vong Pisen outlined Cambodia’s desire for continued Indian assistance across several key areas. These included ongoing support for military training programs, facilitating exchange visits at all levels, fostering information exchange, strengthening efforts to combat transnational crime, and collaboration on disaster relief operations. The Cambodian Commander-in-Chief also sought cooperation in peacekeeping missions, demining initiatives, inter-service military collaboration, joint exercises, and allowing Indian naval ship calls.
In a positive response to these proposals, Mr. Adhishek Arora affirmed India’s readiness to support all of Cambodia’s requests. He emphasized India’s commitment to continue aiding the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces in training and capacity building, tailored to Cambodia’s specific requirements. Beyond imparting knowledge and skills, the Indian Military Attaché highlighted India’s capability to provide modern technology and advanced equipment, specifically mentioning crucial tools such as demining devices and sophisticated surveillance drones.
General Vong Pisen expressed his deep satisfaction and gratitude for India’s consistent attention and unwavering support for the development of Cambodia’s military capabilities. He underscored the importance of this cooperation in contributing to the enhancement of security, peace, and stability within the region.
Both parties also took the opportunity to commend the exemplary cooperation that has long existed between the Cambodian and Indian armed forces. General Vong Pisen noted India’s continuous support for human resource development within the Cambodian military, which has included the establishment of numerous specialized training courses. He particularly lauded the success of the second Cambodia-India bilateral exercise in 2026, recognizing its role in strengthening the capacities and collaborative spirit between the two nations’ armies. Mr. Adhishek Arora, in turn, praised the Cambodian army’s proficiency and performance during both joint exercises, which yielded excellent results.
This robust military partnership saw its inaugural joint exercise take place in late 2024 in Pune, India. This pioneering exercise concentrated on intelligence gathering, reconnaissance operations, and humanitarian assistance, all geared towards supporting United Nations peacekeeping missions. The second joint exercise, codenamed CINBAX II, was subsequently held for two weeks in May 2026 at the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Techo Sen Phnom Thum Mras Chrov base in Samraong Tong district, Kampong Speu province.
CINBAX II was designed to further joint training, enhance interoperability, facilitate the exchange of professional expertise, and build greater trust between the armed forces of India and Cambodia, aligning with operational frameworks under UN mandates. The comprehensive training activities included command post exercises, practical tactical drills, live-fire training, Cordon and Search Operations (CASO), House Intervention operations, and a vital exchange of knowledge on cutting-edge technologies, such as the deployment and countering of drones.
