India and Kenya enter into tax, defence agreements

New Delhi: India and Kenya on Monday signed seven agreements, including one on the avoidance of double taxation and another to boost defence cooperation, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to the African nation.

Modi also announced the extension of a concessional line of credit of $44.95 million to the east African nation to help it in developing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and textiles.

In the area of healthcare, India said it would build a cancer hospital in Kenya to provide quality and affordable health care.

“The multifaceted development partnership is a key pillar of our bilateral relationship,” Modi said at a joint press meet in Nairobi after talks with Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta.

The pact on defence cooperation entails exchange of security personnel, sharing of expertise, training, cooperation in hydrography and the supply of equipment, a Press Trust of India report said.

According to Modi, the two countries have shared interests in maritime security since they are connected by the Indian Ocean. “Closer cooperation in the field of maritime security occupies an important place in our defence and security engagement,” Modi said.

Modi, who arrived in Nairobi late Sunday on the last leg of his four-nation Africa tour, is on a five-day visit to the continent.

He had met Kenyatta during the latter’s visit to New Delhi for the third India-Africa Summit.

In his comments to reporters, Modi said he and Kenyatta had “agreed that terrorism and radicalization is a common challenge” for India and Kenya as well as the world. “We have agreed to deepen our security partnership, including in fields of cybersecurity, combating drugs, narcotics and human trafficking,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also said India is ready to share its experiences and expertise in development to strengthen Kenya’s development objectives. “Our development priorities are more or less aligned. As a true and trusted partner, India is ready to share its development experiences and expertise, and concessional credit and capacities to assist in Kenya’s development objectives,” he said.

The Prime Minister said he and Kenyatta agreed both economies can benefit more “if we nurture greater intensity of commercial links; take steps towards a more diversified trade basket; and expand our investment ties further”.

This, he said, would also enable greater regional economic prosperity. “In this, while governments would play their part, it is businesses of the two countries that have a key role and responsibility to drive our commercial partnership,” he said.

Bilateral trade crossed $4 billion in 2014-15. Indian entities with a presence in Kenya include Tata Chemicals Ltd following the acquisition of Magadi Soda Co. Ltd in 2005, Essar Energy, Bharti Airtel Ltd, Reliance Industries Ltd, Karuturi Ltd, Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd, Power Grid Corp. of India Ltd, Kirloskar Brothers Ltd and Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, according to the external affairs ministry website.

Later, in a speech at the University of Kenya in Nairobi, Modi urged Kenyan youth to condemn terrorism as well as those who practice it. “Indeed, we live in a world where preachers of hate and violence are threatening the fabric of our society,” Modi said.

“As young dynamic citizens of Kenya and as members of the African society, you would need to be watchful of those who spread radical ideologies.

“And, be equally condemning of those who give shelter to terrorists and use them as political instruments,” Modi said, adding, “youth can also play an important role in building a counter narrative to extremist ideologies.”

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.