India’s Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, is to embark on a four-day official visit to Kenya and Madagascar from June 23 to 26, 2025, in a significant diplomatic and defence engagement that aims to deepen India’s strategic presence in the Indian Ocean Region and strengthening long-standing bilateral relationships with both African nations.
The visit will begin in Kenya, where Seth will jointly unveil a commemorative war memorial with Kenyan officials at Taita-Taveta County on June 23, honouring the shared sacrifices of Indian and Kenyan soldiers. The memorial reflects the intertwined colonial histories of both countries and India’s support for Kenya’s anti-colonial struggle.
On June 26, the Minister of State for Defence is to participate in the celebrations of Madagascar’s 65th Independence Day and the founding of the Malagasy Armed Forces at a ceremonial event in Antananarivo.
The high-level visit is taking place in response to formal invitations from the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Defence of Kenya, and the Minister of Armed Forces of Madagascar.
What is the significance of India’s relations with Kenya and Madagascar?
India’s engagement with both Kenya and Madagascar holds growing importance in its Indian Ocean diplomacy and South-South cooperation. Kenya and India are maritime neighbours with deep-rooted bilateral ties that span political, defence, commercial, and cultural spheres. The two countries enjoy robust trade and investment flows, close cooperation in defence, and significant people-to-people connections, including Indian contributions to Kenya’s independence movement.
With Madagascar, India’s partnership extends across political and military domains, grounded in a shared commitment to regional stability and development. India has increasingly focused on strengthening its defence and security cooperation with island and coastal states in the Western Indian Ocean, given the growing strategic competition in the region and its vital sea lines of communication.
The visit by Sanjay Seth reinforces India’s commitment to expanding strategic partnerships with African nations and acknowledges the role of African countries in the broader Indo-Pacific security framework. It also aligns with India’s approach of engaging African states through mutual respect, development partnership, and maritime collaboration.