India, Kenya Deepen Defence Industrial Ties in Nairobi

• India & Kenya strengthened defence industrial ties at the third India-Kenya Defence Exhibition
• The officials discussed manufacturing cooperation, training, and sustainment
• A visit to Kenya Shipyard Limited advanced shipbuilding cooperation

India and Kenya took another step towards a closer professional relationship between their defence industries with the third India-Kenya Defence Exhibition and Seminar, completed successfully in Nairobi recently.

The event came together with the four-member Indian defence delegation visit headed by Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production) from India's Ministry of Defence, marking the importance that the two nations have attached to the defence manufacturing relations by each other.

The High Commission of India in Kenya and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) arranged the event together, backed by India's Department of Defence Production, the exhibition signified a definite change in the bilateral defence relations from the traditional way of interaction to structured industrial collaboration.

The exhibition's earlier two editions were conducted in 2022 and 2024. The event was opened jointly by the Defence Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, Soipan Tuya, Sanjeev Kumar, and the Indian High Commissioner to Kenya.

Nineteen Indian defense corporations, both from the governmental and the private sectors, were the exhibitors of a whole range of defense products, systems, and manufacturing abilities.

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Under the umbrella of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the participation stressed India’s Make in India project and its growing list of defence products that are ready for export.

Meanwhile, Sanjeev Kumar had talks with high-ranking Kenyan military officers, among them Patrick Mariru, Principal Secretary (Defence), and Lt Gen John Omenda, Vice Chief of Defence Forces.

The discussions revolved around the issues like defense industrial cooperation, capacity building, training, partnerships in sustainment and equipment, logistics support, and maintenance.

The Indian delegation was additionally present at Kenya Shipyard Limited (KSL) located at Mtongwe to check the status of the MoU which was signed with Goa Shipyard Limited in August 2023.

The MoU seeks to support the cooperation in shipbuilding, repair, and sustainment, thus bringing about possible advantages for the maritime security and industrial base of Kenya.

In short, the entire visit marked the acknowledgment of India's increasing importance as a supplier of defence manufacturing and technology to the African countries whereas, at the same time, it was an encouragement to Kenya in its strategy of local capability building and seeking new international partners.