India, Kenya to deepen ties in defence and healthcare
Two countries signed seven agreements including a MoU on defence cooperation. Other agreements include development of various small and medium enterprises and upgrading a textile factory
NAIROBI: India and Kenya on Monday agreed to boost cooperation in the defence and healthcare sectors as Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the east African country as a ‘valued friend’.
“While we are conscious of our development challenges, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and I also share concerns of security and stability,” Modi said in a joint press statement with Kenyatta following delegation-level talks here.
Following the talks, India and Kenya signed seven agreements, including a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation. The prime minister said that as India and Kenya are connected by the Indian Ocean, both have strong maritime traditions.
Among the agreements signed on Monday, two pertained to lines of credit from India to Kenya — one on development of various small and medium enterprises and the other on upgrading a textile factory.
“As such, our closer cooperation in the field of maritime security occupies an important place in our overall defence and security engagement,” he said.
“The MoU on defence cooperation signed just now would strengthen our institutional cooperation between our defence establishments.” Modi said that he and Kenyatta recognised that terrorism and the rapid spread of radical ideologies posed a com- mon challenge to the people of both countries, to the region and to the whole world.
Cyber security
“We have agreed to deepen our security partnership including in the fields of cyber security, combating drugs and narcotics, and human trafficking,” he said. Kenya has been a frequent target of terrorism, especially of the Al Shabab terror outfit from across the border in Somalia.
Modi also flagged health care as another key area of cooperation between the two countries. “I understand that health care is President Uhuru’s key priority,” he said.
“India’s strength, especially in pharmaceuticals, can join hands with your priorities to shape an affordable and efficient health care system in Kenya,” he said, adding that this would make Kenya a regional medical hub.
He also said that India would soon hand over a Bhabhatron, a state-of-the-art made in India cancer therapy machine, to the Kenyatta National Hospital. “Kenya is a valued friend and trusted partner of India,” Modi said.
Agriculture
He said the historical people-topeople ties between the two countries have provided a strong basis for a wide-ranging partnership which extended “from agriculture and health to developmental assistance, from trade and commerce to investment, from closer contact between our people to capacity building, from regular political consultations to defence and security cooperation”.
The prime minister said India was ready to share its development experiences and expertise, and concessional credit and capacities to assist in Kenya’s development objectives.
India would also help set up a pharmaceutical company in Kenya to manufacture life-saving drugs, he said.