Addressing senior Kenyan defence officials and industry representatives, Shri Sanjeev Kumar
highlighted the strength and maturity of India’s defence industrial ecosystem. He emphasised that India’s capabilities are built on innovation, self-reliance and trusted partnerships, aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The exhibition featured 21 Indian defence companies showcasing specialised product profiles across key domains including shipbuilding, armoured and military vehicles,
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), missile systems, cyber security, weapons, ammunition,
optical devices and advanced protection systems.
High-Level Participation from Kenya
The seminar, organised on January 19, was attended by Cabinet Secretary for Defence Ms Soipan Tuya, Vice Chief of Kenya Defence Forces Lt Gen John M. Omenda, commanders of the Army and Navy, and over 50 senior officers from Kenya’s Ministry of Defence.
In her keynote address, Ms Tuya noted that the third edition of the exhibition builds upon the strong foundations laid during previous editions held in November 2022 and January 2024, reflecting the steady evolution of defence cooperation.
Bilateral Meetings to Deepen Defence Cooperation
During his visit, Shri Sanjeev Kumar held detailed bilateral meetings with Principal Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Kenya, Mr Patrick Mariru and Lt Gen John M. Omenda to discuss avenues for enhanced defence collaboration.
Discussions focused on defence industrial partnerships, co-development,
capacity building, training, marine sustainment, defence exports and long-term
maintenance support. Both sides welcomed the strong participation of Indian companies
and agreed that the Kenya Defence Forces would hold separate interactions with Indian industry representatives.
Focus on Naval Cooperation and Shipbuilding
As part of his visit, Shri Sanjeev Kumar also toured Kenya Shipyard Limited (KSL) in Mombasa. He stressed the importance of early implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between
Kenya Shipyard Limited and Goa Shipyard Limited.
The proposed cooperation is expected to strengthen Kenya’s maritime capabilities
while opening new avenues for Indian shipyards to support capacity building
and sustainment in the Indian Ocean region.
Strengthening India–Africa Defence Engagement
The India-Kenya Defence Exhibition & Seminar has emerged as a key platform for advancing defence diplomacy, industrial collaboration and strategic trust between India and African partners.
The 2026 edition reaffirmed India’s commitment to working closely with Kenya
in building resilient defence capabilities through partnership, technology sharing and long-term cooperation.