The visit comes at a time when the India-Kenya relationship is poised for deeper engagement

In a boost to bilateral ties between India and Kenya, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of Kenya General Robert Kibochi is visiting India on the invitation of the Ministry of Defence. India is the first country that the CDF Kenya is visiting outside of Africa after he assumed command in May this year.

During his week-long visit from November 2 to November 6, the CDF Kenya is scheduled to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the three Service Chiefs, and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

The General Officer’s visit comes at a time when the bilateral relationship between India and Kenya is poised for deeper engagement, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

The contemporary ties between India and Kenya have now evolved into a robust and multi-faceted partnership, marked by regular high-level visits, increasing trade and investment as well as extensive people to people contacts.

The relationship has grown following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kenya in 2016 and a reciprocal visit by President Kenyatta in 2017.

The ongoing areas of defense cooperation include capacity and capability building, counter-terrorism, UN peacekeeping operations, medical health care, and cybersecurity.

“Considering that India and Kenya are mature democracies and have professional Armed Forces there is a lot of convergence of thought between the two nations. The visit will cement the already strong bilateral ties between the two countries and the two Armed Forces,” the Ministry of Defence statement said.

The General Officer, incidentally, completed his Signal Officers Degree Telecommunications Engineering Course in India at the Military College of Telecommunications Engineering Mhow from 1984-1987, as a young officer.

He will also be visiting Agra, Mhow, and Bengaluru during his stay in India.