Inaugural Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME)
The first edition of the significant multilateral exercise, Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), commenced on April 13, 2025, in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Key Highlights and Objectives
- The exercise aims to develop collaborative solutions to regional maritime challenges.
- It seeks to enhance interoperability and synergize operations among maritime forces of partner nations.
- This initiative underscores the strong relations between India and African nations, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).
Participation
- Participating nations include Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa, alongside India and Tanzania.
- Indian Naval Ship Chennai and INS Kesari arrived in Dar-es-Salaam before the exercise, co-hosting the inauguration ceremony with the Tanzanian Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF).
Harbour Phase Activities
- Inauguration ceremony and deck reception with Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Tanzanian Defence Minister as chief guests.
- Activities include anti-piracy operations, information sharing, and joint training in seamanship and Visit Board Search and Seizure exercises.
- Promotional activities like sports fixtures and yoga sessions are planned to foster camaraderie.
- Indian Naval ships will be accessible to visitors to engage with the local population.
Sea Phase Activities
- Scheduled for April 16-18, focusing on strengthening maritime security cooperation.
- INS Sukanya will leave Dar-es-Salaam on April 15 for Nacala, Mozambique, as part of the IOS SAGAR mission.
