Source: DD News
Context: The Indian Navy will participate in the maiden multilateral maritime exercise titled ‘Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement’ (AIKEYME), co-hosted with Tanzania in April 2025, to enhance maritime security and cooperation with African nations.
About Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME):
- What it is:
- A large-scale multilateral maritime exercise aimed at enhancing naval cooperation and interoperability between India and African nations.
- Host Nations: India and Tanzania (co-hosts).
- Established in: The first edition will take place in April 2025 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
- Nations Participating: Comoros, Djibouti Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, India and Tanzania (co-hosts)
- Aims of AIKEYME:
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- To strengthen maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- To improve coordination in tackling piracy, illegal trafficking, and unregulated fishing.
- To enhance information sharing and surveillance between navies.
- Key Features of AIKEYME:
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- Harbour Phase Activities:
- Tabletop exercises on piracy response and information sharing.
- Training sessions in seamanship and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations.
- Sea Phase Operations:
- Search and Rescue (SAR) drills, small arms firing, helicopter operations, and VBSS exercises.
- Alignment with SAGAR and MAHASAGAR:
- Supports India’s SAGAR vision and MAHASAGAR initiative announced by PM Modi in March 2025.
- Deployment of INS Sunayna (IOS Sagar Initiative):
- Month-long joint surveillance and port calls in Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Maldives.
- Harbour Phase Activities:
