The Cabinet Secretary for Defence, Hon. Soipan Tuya, accompanied by the Vice Chief of the Defence Forces (VCDF), Lieutenant General John Omenda, on 19 January 2026, graced the 3rd India–Kenya Defence Industry Seminar and Expo (DEFEXPO) held in Nairobi.
The event was jointly organised by the Kenyan and Indian militaries and brought together key stakeholders from the defence sector, providing a strategic platform for engagement, collaboration, and exchange of ideas between industry players and defence leadership from both countries.
The Expo offered participating companies a rare opportunity to make comprehensive presentations and showcase their products and solutions to senior decision-makers from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the Ministry of Defence. Exhibited capabilities covered a wide range of defence technologies, including arms and ammunition, military vehicles, ICT and telecommunications systems, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and counter-UAV solutions, marine vessels, as well as workshop equipment and tools.
Addressing the participants, CS Tuya noted that the Expo underscored enhanced capacity-building initiatives through specialised training, institutional exchanges between military academies, and progressively advanced joint military exercises. She emphasised that these collaborative efforts have strengthened the Ministry of Defence’s ability to work with strategic partners and are fully aligned with Kenya’s foreign and defence policy objectives.
“Let me express my confidence that this exhibition will deepen industrial cooperation with India and generate partnerships that are practical, mutually beneficial, and strategically aligned. I wish all participants productive engagements over the next two days, and to our visiting guests, I invite you to enjoy our unique natural environment during your stay,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
In his remarks, India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Dr. Adarsh Swaika, reaffirmed India’s commitment to supporting the modernisation efforts of the Kenya Defence Forces, noting that India is keen on enrolling Kenya among its key defence industry partners.
“The Expo offers a rare, concentrated space where ideas can be translated into tangible projects, joint ventures, training programmes, and technology transfers. The timing could not be more significant as our security environment continues to evolve rapidly—whether in emerging domains, cyberspace, counter-terrorism, or peace support operations. I believe this Expo will go a long way in fostering strong bonds of cooperation and collaboration,” said the High Commissioner.
The Expo was also attended by the Secretary for Defence Production, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Ministry of Defence of India, KDF Service Commanders, the Head of the Indian Delegation, Shri Kumar, Director General Major General Charanjit Singh, General Officers, the Indian Defence Attaché, Captain Velagada Shirdikant, and senior officers from both countries, effectively transforming the venue into a hub of defence collaboration aimed at building a resilient future founded on shared values.
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