India opens a dedicated India Corner in Kenya, highlighting shared development priorities and strengthening cooperation in education, technology and capacity building…reports Asian Lite News Desk
India’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Adarsh Swaika, on Thursday inaugurated an India Corner at the library of the Kenya School of Government (KSG), creating a dedicated resource on India’s history, culture, economy, foreign policy and development journey.
KSG Council Chairperson Justice (retd) Charles Nyachae, Director General Nura Mohamed and senior officials of the institution attended the inauguration.
The Indian High Commission in Kenya said the India Corner features a large collection of books donated by the mission and is intended to provide Kenyan civil servants and scholars with greater access to information about India and the growing India-Kenya partnership.
Swaika also planted a Thika Palm tree on the KSG campus to mark the occasion.
The envoy later delivered a public lecture at the Kenya School of Government titled “Why India Matters for Kenya”, which was attended by more than 120 participants from government ministries, parastatals and county governments.
During the lecture, Swaika highlighted the shared history of India and Kenya, including their anti-colonial struggles, as well as similarities in their development aspirations.
He said India’s development cooperation with Kenya is based on Kenyan priorities and focuses on building local capacities.
The High Commissioner also highlighted India’s “Make in India” programme and said a self-reliant India has been delivering development at scale.
He pointed to India’s digital public infrastructure as an example of how technology can help countries move beyond traditional models of development and said cost-effective and modern technological solutions could have relevance for Kenya.
Swaika also highlighted the growing presence of Indian trade and investment in Kenya, saying it has brought capital and helped generate employment.
He called for stronger cooperation between the two countries in areas including capacity building, healthcare, education, agriculture, technology and maritime security.
The lecture was followed by a question-and-answer session, during which participants raised questions about India-Kenya relations, India’s development experience and its wider engagement with Africa.
The Indian mission said participants also offered suggestions on new areas and practical avenues for cooperation and discussed ways of further strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India-Kenya relations have developed into a “robust and multi-faceted partnership”, supported by high-level political exchanges, growing trade and investment and extensive people-to-people links.
India also provides development assistance to Kenya through loans and lines of credit.
The inauguration of the India Corner adds an educational and knowledge-sharing dimension to the bilateral relationship, providing Kenyan officials and researchers with a dedicated space to explore India’s development experience and its evolving partnership with Kenya.
The initiative also reflects India’s wider efforts to deepen engagement with African countries through education, capacity building, development cooperation and institutional partnerships.
