Kenya and India are advancing efforts to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement to boost economic partnership, reduce trade imbalances, and enhance market access.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said on Sunday that official negotiations are set to begin following announcements in early 2026 when he visited New Delhi for an official visit.
Mudavadi, also the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, said the move will strengthen long-standing economic ties, with India currently being one of Kenya's largest trading partners globally.
“We value the partnership between Kenya and India. Not too long ago, I was in India during the Raisina dialogue, which is a convergence of the world's critical thinktanks. I had an opportunity to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and held bilateral talks with Foreign Minister Jaishankar,” said Mudavadi
“One of the things we are pursuing is to take the partnership a notch higher and discuss a free trade agreement between Kenya and India. Kenya now has a trade agreement with the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, and we are now having talks with the United States,” Mudavadi explained
He noted that Kenya has also entered into a Preferential Trade Agreement with China under the FOCAC arrangement for the African Continent.
Mudavadi was speaking when he graced the 2nd Khumbhabhisheka Mahotsavam ceremony at the Sri Kalyana Venkateswar Temple, in Nairobi on Sunday and he noted that the conversation to have a financial trade agreement with India is indeed long overdue.
He said once the agreement is on, it will help amplify the longstanding ties that Kenya enjoys with India, and it will boost the cooperation not only in trade but also in many other areas of investment for the mutual benefit of the citizens of these two nations.
“Your contribution and support to Kenya’s economy as the Indian Community has helped shape our wellbeing through job creation, investment, technology transfer, education, among other areas of critical support,” said the Prime CS
“With your help and partnership, Kenya is now ranked as the 6th largest economy in Africa by the IMF. This is all a partnership, in which you have played a part in creating the bigger whole in making Kenya what it is.” Mudavadi added.
Kumbhabhisheka is a sacred Hindu temple consecration ceremony that renews, re-energizes, and sanctifies a temple’s deities and structure, usually performed every 12 years, where the Temple brings unity and peace among devotees and communities.
He told the gathering that the government of Kenya and Kenya’s Constitution provide freedom of worship, and as devotees, we encourage every community to continue in pursuit of righteousness and good deeds to humanity across the country through worship.
“The government of Kenya respects your culture and tradition, and our constitution provides that anchoring so that everybody feels at home, and when you respect culture, you are respecting a civilization, you are respecting a people and humanity,” said Mudavadi.
The Sri Kalyana Venkateswar Temple has, over the years, given scholarships and sponsorship for education to more than 300 children in various schools across Kenya.
On a regular basis the Temple has also participated in food distribution and drought relief exercises for the last 24 years.
