India and Kenya have decided to upgrade defence partnership and bilateral ties to deal more effectively with the security issues in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) amid China’s increasing aggressive behaviour in the region. The two countries are also keen to enhance cooperation to tackle security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kenya President Willian Samoei Ruto on Tuesday discussed the ways to strengthen ties between the two countries. The focus of the two leaders was on maritime security and jointly combating piracy, drug trafficking and terrorism in the Indian Ocean Region. PM Modi said that “close cooperation between Kenya and India will strengthen all our efforts in the Indo-Pacific”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during his meeting with the visiting Kenyan President on Monday also discussed the maritime security issues amidst China’s aggressive behavior in the Indian Ocean Region. New Delhi’s concern is also about China’s attempt to expand its footprints in Nairobi and grow influence in the entire African nation which has coastline on the Indian Ocean.
Sources told The Daily Guardian that the Indian side shared these concerns related to China with the Kenyan side. In fact, Kenya is said to be saddled with Chinese debt as a result of huge loans for various projects under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.