After extensive discussions with Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India’s commitment to contribute US$250 million to modernize Kenyan agriculture. The leaders explored ways to strengthen defense ties, strengthen maritime security and jointly fight piracy, drug trafficking and terrorism in the Indian Ocean.
In a special briefing after the talks, Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs said, “Both countries have cemented their longstanding relationship through a series of five Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) and strategic cooperation spanning various sectors, said Dammu Ravi, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs things.
During these discussions, agriculture and education took center stage as Kenya expressed its intention to offer agricultural land to Indian companies to boost agricultural activities in the region.
“Interestingly, the Kenyan side has expressed interest in offering agricultural land to India, agricultural land for agricultural purposes, so that they can encourage Indian companies to go there and do agriculture,” Ravi said.
At the same time, memoranda of understanding were signed between the open universities of the two nations, emphasizing cooperation in education. These agreements set the stage for a multifaceted exchange involving cultural, sports, digital solutions and digital transformation initiatives.
Responding to a question related to the digital transformation Kenya is pursuing, Ravi said, “The Kenyan side has expressed interest in learning from India in several areas, particularly fintech, space, UPI, Aadhaar and healthcare.”
The visiting leader expressed interest in greater cooperation, especially with Indian medical experts visiting Kenya. In return, Kenya expressed the desire for their specialists, nurses and doctors to have longer stays in India to learn from the country. Traditional medicine also played a significant role in the bilateral talks.
Ravi also highlighted the substantial recovery in the economic environment with announcements such as the strengthening of the line of credit for agricultural modernization in Kenya. ISRO’s pioneering customized training program for Kenyan space scientists and the development of a geospatial information portal further underscored the commitment to technological advancement.
“Education is another area. The open universities of both parties, IGNOU and Kenyan Open University, entered into a memorandum of understanding. Space is another area of cooperation. So these are the five MoUs signed,” the MEA secretary explained.
Kenya’s interest in learning from India also extends to the fintech space, with a specific focus on UPI and Aadhaar. The health sector has emerged as a significant area of cooperation, with discussions ranging from the exchange of medical expertise to joint efforts in traditional medicine.
Kenya and Airtel
Earlier in the day Sunil Bharti Mittal met the visiting leader Dr. by William Samoei Ruto in New Delhi. He emphasized to the President Airtel’s enduring relationship with the people of Kenya and their commitment in accelerating the country’s digital economy. Mittal also spoke to the President about the benefits of co-innovation and collaboration in distributing the success of India’s digital public infrastructure to Kenya.
