India and Cambodia signed six bilateral agreements Saturday ranging from financial assistance to co-operation in the field of water resource management, according to dpa. The Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen, who is on a four-day visit to India with a 12-member delegation, signed seven agreements after meeting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Sigh. The two sides concluded an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons, cooperation in the field of water resource management, protocol framework of foreign Office consultations between India and Cambodia, plan of understanding on agricultural cooperation for 2007- 2008 and an agreement on credit for Cambodia. India and Cambodia also signed an agreement to enhance defence cooperation, and one on cooperation and technical assistance between the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority and India's petroleum major ONGC Videsh Limited. Earlier Saturday, Hun Sen addressed leaders of Indian chambers and industries in a business meeting, and called for more foreign direct investment by Indian companies in Cambodia. "The Royal Government of Cambodia is supportive of the private sector, and has created a favourable environment for this sector to protect their investments and business activities in Cambodia," said Hun Sen. Investment in areas like agriculture, labour intensive industries, processing, tourism, mining and some other sections of manufacturing and services can enable "economic take-off and transformation in Cambodia", said Hun Sen. Presently, the volume of trade between the two countries is about 50 million dollars, in India's favour. From 2005 to 2006, the balance of trade between the two countries was 16.5 million dollars, with India exporting goods and services worth 16.7 million dollars and importing goods and services worth 20,000 dollars. In the business meeting, corporate leaders from India and the five ministers accompanying Hun Sen also identified sectors for potential investment. The Indian side supported co-operation in biotechnology, bio- informatics, broadcasting, communication, education, human resources and skill development. Hun Sen, who arrived in India on Friday, was given a ceremonial reception on Saturday, which was followed by a meeting with India's Minister of External Affairs, Pranab Mukherjee, President Pratibha Patil and Vice President Hamid Ansari. He is scheduled to travel Sunday to the southern city of Hyderabad on Sunday where he will visit the National Institute of Rural Development and an information technology centre. Hun Sen's earlier visit to India in July was abruptly terminated when the country went into mourning after the death of former prime minister Chandra Shekhar.
