Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto to pay State visit to India from December 4-6

The visit comes as Ruto's first to India in his present capacity.

During his stay in India, Ruto will meet President Murmu. He will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan on December 5, as per a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

A State Banquet will be hosted by President Murmu in honour of President Ruto.

The Kenyan President will also hold detailed discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ruto will also participate in a business and investment event in New Delhi.

A Presidential visit from Kenya is taking place after a period of over six years and is expected to strengthen and invigorate the bilateral relations between the two countries, as per the official release.

Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday termed his country's ties with India "fantastic" and thanked PM Modi for making sure that the African Union (AU) becomes a permanent member of the G20.

He said that India and Kenya have a fantastic bilateral relationship and added that he is looking forward to visiting India.

"India has made a very huge contribution. We want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making sure that Africa became a permanent member of the G20 during his presidency. And we will be having further conversations with him," the Kenyan President told ANI.

"We have a fantastic bilateral relationship and it is my intention that we are going to build on that relationship during my visit to India later...," he added.

The African Union is a continental union consisting of 55 member states located on the continent of Africa. The move to include the African Union in the G20 grouping was proposed by PM Modi earlier this June.

PM Modi, in his opening remarks at the 18th G20 Leaders' Summit, invited the African Union, represented by Chairperson Azali Assoumani, to take a seat at the table of G20 leaders as a permanent member.

"With everyone's approval, I request the AU head to take his seat as a permanent G20 member," Modi said in his address.

Following PM Modi's announcement, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar accompanied the President of the Union of Comoros and Chairperson of the African Union (AU), Azali Assoumani, as he took his seat among world leaders. (ANI)