Kenya–India Relations Set for Boost as GLOCEPS Plans High-Level Policy Symposium

The Global Centre for Policy and Strategy (GLOCEPS), in collaboration with the High Commission of India in Kenya, is planning a high-level policy symposium to give a new dimension to the cooperation between India and Kenya in the 21st century.

The forum, scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2026, in Nairobi, brings together senior policymakers, diplomats, scholars, economists, security experts, and private sector leaders from both countries at a time of significant global transition.

According to the joint press release, the symposium will be held under the theme “Reshaping India–Kenya Cooperation in the 21st Century” and will be officiated by the Chief Guest, Principal Secretary of Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr. A. Korir Sing’Oei, PhD, EBS.

Organisers say the meeting is designed to generate concrete policy options that can inform bilateral engagement amid shifting geopolitical, technological and economic realities.

The event takes place as Kenya and India are about to celebrate 63 years of diplomatic relations, and it not only shows the historical relationship existing between Nairobi and New Delhi but also shows a new focus in working together for the future.

The statement says, “The symposium takes place at a critical moment in the midst of emerging geopolitics, technology transition, and developments in regional security,”

Strategic Context and Diplomatic Significance

Organizers said that the forum is an outcome of strategic commitments made in December 2023, when President William Ruto made a state visit to India.

That visit elevated bilateral engagement across trade, investment, technology, and people-to-people links, setting the stage for more structured policy coordination.

“Building on strategic commitments reaffirmed during President William Ruto’s State Visit to India in December 2023, the event seeks to generate actionable policy pathways and strengthen institutional cooperation between India and Kenya,” the press release states.

GLOCEPS emphasized that the symposium aligns with its broader mandate of evidence-based policymaking and strategic foresight.

The discussions held are supposed to feed into national and regional decision-making processes, while making India a long-term strategic partner for Eastern Africa on issues of stability, development, and innovation.

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Anchoring discussions are two thematic sessions.

To ensure that all geopolitical and economic issues are covered thoroughly, the symposium will be organized around two theme sessions.

The sessions themselves range in their focus: the first session, entitled India–Kenya Strategic Collaboration in a Changing Indo-Pacific and Eastern Africa Landscape, will cover strategic alignment, regional cooperation, and shared security interests.

The session is expected to look at how India and Kenya can continue with its close coordination within the evolving regional and global architecture.

The second session, India–Kenya Economic Collaboration in a Changing Global Environment, will discuss avenues of deepening trade, investment, innovation, and human capital partnerships.

Organisers noted that the objective is to identify practical mechanisms for unlocking economic opportunities that benefit both countries while responding to global economic uncertainty.

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Media Engagement and Event Logistics

Media houses have been invited to cover the event, with organisers advising journalists to deploy to the Trademark Hotel at Village Market, Nairobi, from 8:00 a.m.

The opening session is scheduled to take place between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on January 22, 2026.

The press release went on to emphasize: “The symposium is expected to generate policy insights to guide national and regional decision-making,” underlining the value of dialogue between state and non-state actors.

For inquiries, GLOCEPS directed the media and public to contact the organisation via email at info@gloceps.org or phone as provided in the statement.

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Image captures a signing ceremony at The Global Centre for Policy and Strategy (GLOCEPS), a Nairobi-based think tank. PHOTO/ File