Nairobi, Feb 24 (IANS) India and Kenya held the fourth meeting of the Joint Defence Coordination Committee (JDCC) in Nairobi on Tuesday, focusing on enhancing defence cooperation in various fields as mentioned in the joint Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation and the BAHARI maritime vision document.
During the meeting, the delegations of two nations expressed appreciation for the recent developments in defence cooperation between India and Kenya.
“The 4th meeting of the India-Kenya Joint Defence Coordination Committee (JDCC) was held in Nairobi today. Joint Secretary (International Cooperation), Ministry of Defence of India, Mr Amitabh Prasad co-chaired the meeting along-with his Kenyan counterpart Maj General Fredrick Leuria, ACDF(OPD&T). The two sides held wide-ranging talks on enhancing defence cooperation in various fields as outlined in the joint MoU on Defence Cooperation and the BAHARI maritime vision document,” the Indian High Commission in Nairobi posted on X after the meeting.
“The delegations expressed appreciation for the recent developments in defence cooperation after the 3rd JDCC meeting, including the participation of VCDF, KDF in AEROINDIA 2025, the commissioning of the CT Scan complex, joint unveiling of India-Africa Commemorative Pillar, multiple Indian Navy and ICG ship port calls at Mombasa, the visit of Kenya Navy Commander to India in Sep 2025 and again for IFR, MILAN, IONS 2026 and the successful conduct of 3rd edition of India-Kenya Defence Exhibition and Semina,” it added.
Last month, India and Kenya held discussions focused on strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with emphasis on defence industrial collaboration, capacity building, training, sustainment partnerships, information sharing, and long-term cooperation in defence exports and maintenance support.
The talks were held during the visit to Nairobi by a four-member Ministry of Defence delegation to advance bilateral defence industrial cooperation. The Indian delegation, led by Sanjeev Kumar, Defence Production Secretary, held several key meetings during its Kenya visit from January 19-21, Indian High Commission in Nairobi stated on January 22.
During the visit, Kumar represented India’s defence manufacturing and export ecosystem at the 3rd India–Kenya Defence Exhibition and Seminar, held in Nairobi on January 19. The event was jointly organised by the High Commission of India in Kenya and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), with support from the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. The previous editions were held in 2022 and 2024.
The Exhibition and Seminar were jointly inaugurated by Soipan Tuya, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Defence, along with Sanjeev Kumar and the High Commissioner of India to Kenya. The event saw participation from 21 Indian defence companies, representing both public and private sectors, showcasing defence platforms, systems, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. The companies participated under the aegis of FICCI, highlighting India’s ‘Make in India’ and export-ready defence solutions.
On the margins of the event, the Secretary held extensive engagements with senior Kenyan defence leadership, including Patrick Mariru, Principal Defence Secretary and Lt Gen John Omenda, Vice Chief of Defence Forces, along with other senior officers.
Secretary (Defence Production) also paid homage at the Joint India–Africa Commemorative Pillar at Mile 27, a memorial built by the Government of India and jointly unveiled on 23 June 2025 by the Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Kenya. Dedicated to the unknown Indian and Kenyan soldiers of the First World War, the memorial stands as a symbol of shared sacrifice and enduring partnership.
–IANS
akl/as