India and Kenya have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence and industrial cooperation following a series of high-level meetings and industry engagements held in Nairobi earlier this year. The Indian delegation, led by Secretary of Defence Production Sanjeev Kumar, visited Kenya from January 19 to 21 to represent India’s expanding defence manufacturing and export sector.
The engagements brought together 21 Indian defence companies from both the public and private sectors, showcasing advanced defence platforms, systems, and manufacturing capabilities under India’s “Make in India” initiative. The meetings were attended by Kenya’s Defence Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya alongside senior military and government officials.
According to the Indian High Commission, discussions between the two countries focused on enhancing defence industrial collaboration, capacity building, training programmes, information sharing, and long-term cooperation in defence exports and maintenance support. Kumar also held separate talks with Defence Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru and Vice Chief of Defence Forces Lt Gen John Omenda.
A key highlight of the visit was the delegation’s tour of Kenya Shipyard Limited in Mtongwe, where both sides explored opportunities for cooperation under the August 2023 memorandum of understanding signed between Goa Shipyard Limited and Kenya Shipyard Limited. The partnership aims to strengthen collaboration in shipbuilding, vessel repair, and sustainment services.
In a separate development, the High Commission of India, in partnership with the Global Centre for Policy and Strategy, hosted a strategic forum on “Reshaping India-Kenya Cooperation in the 21st Century.” The gathering brought together stakeholders from government, academia, industry, think tanks, and media to discuss the future of India-Kenya relations, with a strong focus on trade, maritime security, technology, and regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
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