India and Kenya have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral defence cooperation following a high-level engagement held at the Kenya Defence Headquarters in Nairobi.
The Indian Defence delegation was led by the Secretary for Defence Production, Government of India, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, and held joint discussions with senior leadership from Kenya’s Ministry of Defence and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). The visit followed the successful conclusion of the 3rd Kenya–India Defence Seminar and Exhibition, which took place in Nairobi on 19 January 2026.
Speaking during the engagement, the Vice Chief of Defence Forces (VCDF), Lieutenant General John Omenda, welcomed the Indian delegation and commended the long-standing cordial relations between Kenya and India. He noted that the partnership has continued to foster meaningful defence collaboration between the two countries.
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Lieutenant General Omenda highlighted several key areas of cooperation, including joint military training, information sharing, military medical services, military sports, and cultural exchanges. He emphasized that these engagements have played a vital role in strengthening interoperability and mutual understanding between the armed forces of both nations.
The VCDF further stressed the importance of fully implementing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the sharing of shipping information between the Indian Navy and the Kenya Defence Forces (Kenya Navy), signed in June 2018. He pointed out existing technical challenges, noting that while India’s system is automated, Kenya’s remains manual. As a result, he underscored the need for verification processes and technical alignment to ensure effective and secure information sharing.
In his remarks, Shri Sanjeev Kumar reaffirmed India’s commitment to deepening defence cooperation with Kenya. He stated that both countries would continue working closely to support the growth of Kenya’s defence industry, enhance maritime security, and advance defence research and development initiatives.
The Secretary for Defence Production also highlighted India’s readiness to support the ongoing expansion and modernisation of KDF equipment and operational capabilities, in line with Kenya’s defence priorities.
The engagement was attended by senior officials from both countries, including Major General Charanjit Singh; Assistant Chief of the Defence Forces in charge of Operations, Plans, Doctrine and Training, Major General Fredrick Leuria; Director General of Kenya’s Directorate of National Security Industries (DNSI), Major General Faustino Lobaly; Deputy Director General of Indian Ordnance Factory Services, Mr. Sushil Satpute; India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr. Adarsh Swaika; and other senior military officers.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of Kenya and India to strengthening strategic defence ties and advancing regional and maritime security cooperation.
