The Indian government has expressed its commitment to the existing collaboration with Kenya, especially on matters trade, health and agriculture.
The Indian State Minister for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Shri V. Muraleedharan who was in Nairobi to attend the swearing in ceremony of President Dr. William Ruto, said as a government they have been working towards line of credit for local agriculture and health .
Speaking when he met members of the Indian community living in Kenya after attending the swearing-in, Muraleedharan said the focus on health and agriculture will not only improve of employment opportunities for Kenyans, but also improve on their health status.
He specifically lauded the success achieved by Indians living in the country specifically in the areas of technology, education, science and economy saying this shows the importance the foreign country attaches to its relations with Kenya.
The State Minister said his visit provided him with a rare opportunity to interact with the Kenyan leadership and build upon the existing friendly and cordial relations that exist between the two countries.
The Ag. Indian High Commissioner to Kenya, Rohit Vadhwana said the State Minister’s visit was extremely important as it showed how India attaches its relationship with Kenya, noting that this kind of high-level engagement will in the long run help the two countries in achieving their desired goals of cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
“The visit by Muraleedharan to the swearing ceremony of president Ruto marks yet another important step forward in our already existing strong bilateral relationship and intention to further continue engaging with Kenya in all sectors of the economy.
Meanwhile, India is one of the largest trade partners and a preferred destination for medical services as well education for the people of Kenya.
In terms of capacity building, India and Kenya have collaborated to impart knowledge and skills to the local citizenry through engagement in multinational forums.
At the same time, India-Kenya trade relations encompasses various sectors of economy, with the current trade volume standing at $ 2.2158 billion for the years 2019-2020, out of which Indian exports to Kenya was $2.126 billion, while imports from Kenya was $ 89.62 million.
The main Indian exports to Kenya include petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, steel products, machinery, yarn, vehicles and power transmission equipment, while Kenyan main exports to the same country include soda ash, vegetables, tea, leather and metal scrap.
By Wangari Ndirangu
