The three-day port call of the Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tarkash at the Port of Mombasa from 29 September to 1 October 2026 brought Kenya and India together through naval engagements, health and wellness activities and community outreach.
The visit brought personnel from the Kenya Navy (KN) and INS Tarkash together for a range of activities that encouraged professional interaction, built camaraderie and supported maritime relations between the two countries.
On 30 September, the programme began with a yoga session onboard INS Tarkash. Kenya Navy personnel joined the ship’s crew for the session, which promoted physical fitness and mental well-being while providing an informal setting for interaction.
The activities continued with a blood donation drive at the Kenya Red Cross Society’s Koblenz Hall in Mombasa County. Personnel from INS Tarkash, the Kenya Navy, the Kenya Red Cross Society and Regional Blood Bank Services took part in the exercise.
INS Tarkash and Kenya Navy personnel later faced each other in a friendly volleyball match at Kenya Navy Base Mtongwe. The match gave both naval teams an opportunity to interact, work together and build stronger ties outside their regular duties.
The visiting delegation also joined Kenya Navy personnel and the High Commissioner of India to Kenya, H.E. Dr. Adarsh Swaika, for a community outreach visit to Sahajanand Special School in Mtwapa. The delegation spent time with the learners and donated food supplies to the school.
The visit highlighted the role of naval engagements in supporting local communities, with the delegation contributing to the needs of a school serving vulnerable learners.
On the second day, the High Commissioner of India to Kenya, H.E. Dr. Adarsh Swaika, paid a courtesy visit to the Commander Kenya Navy Base Mtongwe, Brigadier William Kiprotich.
The meeting focused on Kenya and India’s maritime partnership, including naval cooperation, professional exchanges, capacity building and continued collaboration in the maritime sector.
The delegation also toured the Kenya Navy Hospital, where officials presented information on its facilities, medical capabilities and healthcare services for Kenya Navy personnel and their families.
The programme ended with an evening reception at the Kenya Navy Officers’ Mess, hosted in honour of the visiting INS Tarkash delegation.
The port call brought together naval cooperation, professional interaction, health initiatives and community outreach, while providing Kenya and India with further opportunities to maintain their maritime and naval relationship.
source: Ministry of Defence Kenya
