What Are Veep And EAM Doing In Cambodia?

In her weekly column in the Indian Express newspaper last Sunday, Coomi Kapoor, the distinguished political pundit, revealed that President Droupadi Murmu would restrict herself to a few foreign trips each year.

ASEAN leaders expected President Murmu to attend this week's ASEAN-India summit and the East Asia Summit in Cambodia, but Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was asked to do the honours instead.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi could not travel to Phnom Penh, having decided to attend the G20 conclave in Bali between November 14 and 17, at which leaders like United States President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be present.

Accompanying the Veep on his first foreign yatra after being elected to the vice presidency in August is External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who, we guess, will do the heavy lifting at the summit, while Dhankar works his well known charm on the ASEAN leadership fraternity.

IMAGE: The vice president and Dr Sudesh Dhankar greet Kathakali artistes who performed at the Chakto Mukh conference hall in Phnom Penh. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

IMAGE: The Kathakali artistes bow to the Veep, Dr Sudesh Dhankar and other guests after their performance. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Cambodian artistes perform scenes from the Mahabharata during the cultural performance at the Chakto Mukh hall in Phnom Penh. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Artistes perform at the event. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Artistes perform the ASEAN Solidarity Dance during the cultural performance. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo

IMAGE: Vice President Dhankhar, wife Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, Dr Jaishankar and Cambodia's Culture Minister Phoeurng Sackona with members of the Indian community at a community reception. Photograph: Manvender Vashist Lav/PTI Photo