Rwanda and India Expand Defence Partnership with Focus on Military Training, Joint Exercises and Defence Industry Cooperation
Rwanda and India have agreed to deepen their defence partnership by expanding cooperation in military training, joint exercises, military healthcare and defence manufacturing, reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening security collaboration and enhancing the capabilities of their armed forces.
The Rwandan delegation was led by the Chief of Defence Staff Development at the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), Brig. Gen. Louis Kanobayire, while the Indian delegation was headed by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary for International Cooperation at India’s Ministry of Defence.
The meeting brought together senior officials from both countries, including representatives from India’s Ministry of Defence, the Department of Defence Production, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Ministry of External Affairs, military medical services and other key defence institutions.
During the discussions, both sides endorsed a new roadmap of activities aimed at further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation. The plan focuses on expanding military training programmes, increasing joint military exercises, enhancing collaboration in military medicine, and promoting partnerships in the defence manufacturing sector.
As part of the visit, the Rwandan delegation also met with India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, where Brig. Gen. Kanobayire presented new areas of cooperation intended to reinforce the longstanding defence relationship between the two countries.
The delegation further held discussions with representatives of India’s defence manufacturing industry to gain insights into the country’s growing defence production capabilities and the advanced technologies driving the sector.
Both sides identified significant opportunities for collaboration between Rwanda’s emerging defence industry and Indian defence manufacturers, agreeing to strengthen partnerships that could support technology transfer, industrial development and capacity building.
The Rwandan delegation also toured the Army Hospital (Research and Referral), one of India’s leading military medical institutions, where they were briefed on its state-of-the-art facilities, research programmes and specialised healthcare services provided to members of the armed forces.
Defence cooperation between Rwanda and India is anchored in a bilateral agreement signed in July 2018 during the historic visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rwanda.
Since then, the two countries have steadily expanded their military partnership through professional training, joint exercises and initiatives aimed at strengthening the operational capacity and professionalism of their armed forces.
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