New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS): Kenya's Chief of Defence Forces, General Robert Kibochi is visiting India for five days from Monday to meet top government dignitaries for deeper bilateral engagement.

General Kibochi's November 2-6 visit follows an invitation by the Ministry of Defence.

India is the first country the General is visiting outside Africa after he assumed command in May 2020.

He is scheduled to meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Adviser Ajit Dval, three service chiefs and senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

He will also visit Agra, Mhow and Bengaluru.

The Kenyan General did Signal Officers Degree Telecommunications Engineering Course at the Military College of Telecommunications Engineering at Mhow from 1984-1987.

His visit comes at a time when relations between India and Kenya are poised for deeper engagement. Post the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Kenya in 2016 and a reciprocal visit by Kenyan President Kenyatta in 2017, the relationship has grown from strength to strength.

Ongoing areas of cooperation include capacity and capability building in defence, counterterrorism, UN peacekeeping operations, healthcare and cybersecurity.

"The visit will cement the already strong ties between the two countries and their armed forces. He will depart on November 7," said a senior officer.