Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday morning presented 30 field ambulances to be used by the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Mr Modi handed the vehicles to President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House where he was officially welcomed to the country in an elaborate state reception complete with a 19-gun salute.
The ambulances were offered in a bid to boost the India-Kenya defence partnership.
India has one of the largest military forces in the world after US, Russia, China and Japan. It has the most active manpower with a frontline personnel of 1,325,000 men.
According to a 2015 report ranking the World’s strongest militaries, India ranks fifth with a total budget of Sh5.1 Trillion.
The two Heads of State held bilateral talks focussed on deepening trade between the two countries and help reduce the huge trade imbalance which is currently in favour of India.
Kenyatta National Hospital is also set to receive state-of-the-art cancer treatment facility following Modi’s visit.
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India’s most notable Prime Ministerial gifts to the Kenyan Defence Forces include two significant instances:
30 Field Ambulances — July 11, 2016
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Kenya, he officially handed over 30 Ashok Leyland field ambulances to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. These ambulances were supplied to the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) as part of a broader Government-to-Government defence cooperation package.
Purpose: Enhance the KDF’s battlefield medical response capabilities.
Context: The gift accompanied the signing of an MoU on Defence Cooperation and several developmental agreements.
15 Parachute Sets — August 29, 2023
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh (on behalf of the Indian government) gifted 15 pairs of Gliders India parachutes (main and reserve) to Kenya’s Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale. The ceremony highlighted mutual support in training and strategic collaboration.
Purpose: Provide specialized equipment for airborne combat and training operations.
Broader Scope: Discussions also touched on joint training, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping efforts.
Other Indian Support to Kenya’s Security Forces
While not direct PM gifts, the broader India–Kenya defence relationship includes:
Lines of Credit: Notably, a $250 million LOC announced in December 2023 to modernize Kenya’s agricultural sector, with defence cooperation and joint exercises also planned.
Capacity-building initiatives: India has committed to ongoing training partnerships, collaboration in naval and helicopter design, and co-developing naval vessels
