This article covers trade between India and Kenya, the main goods traded, Indian investment in Kenya, and the agreements and institutions that support economic ties. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of March 2026, which takes its trade data from India's Department of Commerce.

Trade overview

According to the MEA brief of March 2026, India is one of Kenya's top trading partners, with trade relations covering various sectors of the economy. Until 2014-15, India was Kenya's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade of US$ 4.235 billion.

In FY 2024-25, according to data from the Department of Commerce, the value of trade stood at US$ 3.452 billion. Of this, Indian exports to Kenya were US$ 3.134 billion, while imports from Kenya to India were US$ 318.74 million.

Figures for 2022-23 to 2024-25

The brief gives the following figures, in US$ million, with the growth rates it records for each year:

  • 2022-23: India's exports 3,273.66 (growth 24.38%); India's imports 116.68 (growth -19.73%); total trade 3,390.34 (growth 22.08%); trade balance 3,156.98.
  • 2023-24: India's exports 3,174.83 (growth -3.02%); India's imports 176.34 (growth 51.13%); total trade 3351.17 (growth -1.16%); trade balance 2998.49.
  • 2024-25: India's exports 3,133.69 (growth -1.30%); India's imports 318.74 (growth 80.76%); total trade 3452.43 (growth 3.02%); trade balance 2814.95.

The brief also gives Kenya's share of India's total exports as 0.7259% in 2022-23, 0.7263% in 2023-24 and 0.7163% in 2024-25. Its share of India's imports is given as 0.0163%, 0.0261% and 0.04419% for the same years.

Main goods traded

Main Indian exports to Kenya in 2024-25 included petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, machinery, cereals, sugars and confectionery, plastics and articles, vehicles, electrical machinery and equipment, organic chemicals, and paper and paperboard.

Main Kenyan exports to India were tea, coffee, soda ash, edible vegetables, copper and articles, fertilisers, metal scrap, miscellaneous chemical products, lead and articles, and zinc and articles.

Trade Agreement and Joint Trade Committee

An India-Kenya Trade Agreement was signed in 1981, under which both countries accorded Most Favoured Nation status to each other. The India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee (JTC) was set up at Ministerial level in 1983 as a follow-up to the Agreement.

The JTC has met nine times. Its last meeting was held in August 2019 in New Delhi, co-chaired by Mr. Peter Munya, then Cabinet Secretary (Minister) of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and India's Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr. Piyush Goyal.

Indian investment in Kenya

According to the Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest), as cited in the brief, India is the second largest investor in Kenya. Over 60 major Indian companies have invested in sectors including manufacturing, real estate, pharmaceuticals, telecom, IT & ITES, banking and agro-based industries.

The brief states that Indian investments have resulted in the creation of thousands of direct jobs for Kenyans, and that Indian pharmaceutical companies have a substantial presence in Kenya.

A bilateral Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) was signed in 1989. A revised DTAA was signed in July 2016 and came into force on 30 August 2017. EXIM Bank of India established an office in Nairobi on 30 May 2024.

Business councils and forums

Five business to business MoUs were signed on the sidelines of the business event held during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's State visit to Kenya in July 2016.

Minister of State for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Mr. V Muraleedharan visited Kenya on 22 and 23 November 2023, accompanied by a 30-member CII business delegation. The India Kenya Business Council (IKBC) was launched on 22 November 2023 in Nairobi, during the India-Kenya Business Forum, in the presence of Mr Muraleedharan and Ms. Rebecca Miano, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade & Industry, Government of Kenya.

During his State Visit to India, President William Ruto attended the India-Kenya Trade and Investment Forum on 5 December 2023 and met select business leaders of Indian companies.

Market access for Kenyan avocados

The Government of India consented to Kenya's request for market access for its avocados. In a ceremonial flag-off on 16 September 2023, the first cargo of Kenyan avocados to India was dispatched from Nairobi as diplomatic cargo to the High Commission of Kenya in New Delhi.