Naval chief R K Dhowan to visit Kenya

NEW DELHI: Naval chief Admiral R K Dhowan will leave on a five-day visit to Kenya to progress and consolidate defence relations with the Indian Ocean Region country.

India and Kenya have enjoyed historical maritime linkages since many centuries.

The visit by the Chief of the Naval Staff will not only cement existing maritime linkages but will also explore avenues to build more bridges of friendship, a statement released by the Navy said.

India already has an ongoing and fruitful bilateral engagement with Kenya.

Apart from regular ship visits, the Indian Navy has been extending training support to the Kenyan Navy.

India has also extended hydro-graphic survey assistance to Kenya and Indian Navy survey ships have recently carried out significant surveys of Kenyan waters.

One of the highlights of the visit is presentation of 'first updated navigational chart' of the areas by the CNS to Kenyan authorities.

This survey was conducted by INS Jamuna, a survey ship which is currently deployed on East African coast on a hydro-graphic mission.