Cambodia’s shift towards India for defence support signals caution over China’s ambitions

India’s status as a middle power aligns with Cambodia’s need to diversify relations from Beijing, analysts say, with the latest bid by New Delhi to boost defence ties with the Southeast Asian nation seen as part of long-standing efforts to counter Chinese influence in the region. At talks between Cambodian Minister of National Defence General Tea Seiha and Indian Ambassador to Cambodia Vanlalvawna Bawitlung last Monday in Phnom Penh, both countries pledged to strengthen security cooperation. On top of appointing a defence attaché, India also plans to open a defence office in Cambodia, building on the Cambodia-India Bilateral Army Exercise (Cinbax-I) conducted last year and its ongoing training of personnel for the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces. In February, the Indian Navy’s First Squadron arrived at Sihanoukville Port in Cambodia to strengthen cooperation between the two navies. Abdul Rahman Yaacob, a research fellow at the Lowy Institute’s Southeast Asia programme, said India had a strategic interest in balancing China’s influence – especially in the maritime domain – in Southeast Asia. “Any of China’s naval movement to the Indian Ocean will have to pass through Southeast Asia,” he said. Rahman said that while Cambodia had close economic and defence cooperation with China – which was hoping to replace the United States as a preferred security partner in Southeast Asia – Cambodian leader Hun Manet was seeking to diversify its defence and economic relations. “The Cambodians will be agreeable to expand defence relations with India and extract any defence assistance they could get from New Delhi given that they need to modernise their military capabilities,” Rahman added. On Saturday, Hun Manet presided over the opening of an expansion of Ream Naval Base, which analysts and Washington suspect will be used as a strategic outpost by China – a claim denied by Cambodia. The upgrades include a joint logistics and training centre and a 650-metre (2,130-foot) pier that can handle large warships such as aircraft carriers: vessels that Cambodia’s navy does not have. Noting that the possibility of Ream being used as a Chinese base “does not reflect the ground reality”, Rahman said that Cambodia’s politics were complex, but there was a strong opinion that any foreign base in the country was unacceptable. This opinion was largely shaped by historical experiences, he said, noting that Cambodia had previously been invaded and it was only in 1989 that Vietnamese troops departed after a decade of military occupation. Apart from Cambodia, India has established strong defence relations and serves as a key defence supplier to both Vietnam and the Philippines. India has also taken part in numerous bilateral and multilateral military exercises with Malaysia and Singapore, while also maintaining active defence dialogues with several other Southeast Asian nations. “Therefore, building defence relations with Cambodia will be a natural process of India’s efforts to be closer to Southeast Asia,” Rahman said. Alternative to China Chanrith Ngin, an honorary academic at the University of Auckland’s School of Social Sciences in New Zealand, said India’s deeper defence cooperation with Cambodia would benefit both countries and the region. It would also give Phnom Penh another good alternative to China, he said. “India will gain more trust from Cambodia given its middle power [status] and less controversial stance,” Ngin said, adding that Southeast Asia would feel safer with India’s deeper engagement, particularly over the potential escalation of the South China Sea issue. Delhi has said that it stands for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce and adherence to international law, particularly in the South China Sea, which is claimed by China and a few Southeast Asian countries, most notably the Philippines and Vietnam. Cambodia – especially its young army personnel – could benefit from India’s expertise in training and military technology, according to Ngin. This is especially important given the limited training opportunities available at US and Australian academies. While China focuses on infrastructure and equipment, India can focus on technology Chanrith Ngin, honorary academic at the University of Auckland “While China focuses on infrastructure and equipment, India can focus on technology,” Ngin said. Phnom Penh would need to strike a balance between the two Asian giants, he added. “This may upset China, but Cambodia does have some agency to diversify its defence strategy.” China and Cambodia have strengthened their military cooperation in recent years in areas such as capacity building, military training, logistics and equipment, according to a 2023 joint statement. This week, China and Cambodia launched the “Golden Dragon-2025” joint exercise in which warships from both sides conducted training exercises, including formation manoeuvring and maritime communication. The drills were aimed at strengthening the two countries’ command and coordinated operational capabilities, reported Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. Citing Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao, China’s nationalistic tabloid the Global Times said on Sunday that this week’s joint exercises, the sixth iteration, were the first to be conducted at Ream’s newly established joint logistics and training centre. Abhishek Sharma, a research assistant focusing on Indo-Pacific regional security and geopolitical developments at the Observer Research Foundation in India, said that apart from China’s increasing influence in Southeast Asia, Delhi was also concerned with Chinese “opaque investments in dual-use maritime infrastructure projects”. Cambodia-India defence ties have evolved from collaboration in demining, UN peacekeeping, and counter-improvised explosive device technologies to include bilateral military exercises. Sharma describes this development as “a vital elevation in military-to-military relations”. Last year’s inaugural Cinbax-I exercise gave India the opportunity to introduce the Cambodian military to cutting-edge defence technology and new-generation equipment, he added. “Some equipment showcased during the exercise were the SIG 716 rifles and light machine guns made by Indian firms like MKU, Jatayu, and Ikran Aerospace,” Sharma said.

Cambodia’s shift towards India for defence support signals caution over China’s ambitions

The China-funded expansion of Ream Naval Base has made the US and analysts worried that it will be used as a strategic outpost by China