Defence CS Duale in India to strengthen bilateral ties

Defence CS Aden Duale (left) in India. [Ministry of Defence]

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale is in India to strengthen Kenyan relations with the South Asian country.

Duale, who is on a three-day visit to India held a meeting with India’s Minister of Defence, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, August 29.

The two ministers acknowledged the Kenya-India partnership that has grown over the past years, during a bilateral meeting yesterday.

“During the talks, we implored on a number of defence issues that both countries can mutually support each other to the realization of the core mandates of our militaries. In particular, the relationship between India and Kenya has been growing from strength to strength. We also concurred on the need for deeper cooperation in maritime security of the Indian Ocean region,” read a statement by India’s Ministry of Defence.

Duale and his Indian counterpart also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Kenya Shipyard Limited (KSL) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).

“This will guide KSL to sail through and be one of the anchor companies in ship-building technology in Africa,” stated Duale.

The Defence CS was accompanied by Kenya's Ambassador to India, Willy Bett, Major General P. Otieno among other senior government officials.

The team also paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, where Duale laid a wreath at India’s War Memorial site, where the men and women who died fighting for India’s independence were buried.

India gained its independence from the British colonialists in August 1947 but declared itself a republic on January 26, 1950.

The CS also congratulated India for the safe landing of Chandrayaan-3 near the Lunar South Pole, which was launched on July 14 and landed on the moon’s surface on August 23.

Chandrayaan-3 makes India the fourth country in the world after the Soviet Union, USA and China to conduct a soft landing on the moon.

As a token of appreciation and a sign of strong partnership, Indian Defence industry gifted Kenya 15 pairs of parachutes to be used by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF).

Duale arrived in New Delhi on Monday, August 28.