New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday presented 15 pairs of parachutes (main and reserve) manufactured by Gliders India Limited to the Kenyan cabinet secretary (defence) Aden Bare Duale in New Delhi. The 15 pairs of parachutes will be used by the Kenyan Armed Forces. Apart from this, India also extended support towards setting up an advanced CT scan facility in Kenya.
Singh held talks with Kenyan official, Aden Bare Duale, in New Delhi, on Tuesday. Both held discussions on capacity building and cooperation in the defence industry as well as the manufacturing of equipment. The meeting was a testimony to the increasing depth of the India-Kenya defence partnership. Singh and Duale agreed that the defence relationship between the two countries has evolved from being training-centric to being more strategically focused.
Rajnath Singh further underscored the importance India attaches to its ties with African nations. In particular, the relationship between India and Kenya has been growing from strength to strength. Singh and Duale also concurred on the need for deeper cooperation in the maritime security of the Indian Ocean region.
Also read: India may export Tejas, LCH as Argentina Defense Minister holds talks with Rajnath Singh
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Goa Shipyard Ltd and Kenya Shipyard Limited in the field of capacity building and for collaboration in ship design and construction. Aden Bare Duale appreciated the growing prowess of the Indian defence industry, including the private sector, and highlighted the areas in which the Indian industry can support the requirements of the Kenyan forces.
He also suggested ‘training of trainers’ of Kenyan forces by the instructors of the Indian Armed Forces to maintain continuity and extract greater benefit out of such programmes. Both sides agreed to joint training in counter-insurgency and UN peacekeeping domains. Other regional security issues of mutual interest were also discussed during the meeting. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane also attended the meeting, along with senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs and Defence PSUs. The Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence is on a three-day visit to India. He will be visiting Indian shipyards and defence industries in Goa and Bengaluru during his stay.
