The Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) 2025 marked a significant milestone in India’s growing strategic and maritime cooperation with African nations. Co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF), the six-day exercise was held off the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, from April 13 to 18, 2025.

The event saw participation from ten countries: Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and host Tanzania, with India represented by its warships INS Chennai and INS Kesari, alongside INS Sunayna as part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar initiative.

The AIKEYME exercise comprised two main phases: a harbour phase and a sea phase. The harbour phase featured an inauguration ceremony attended by senior defence officials, including Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Tanzania’s Minister of Defence and National Service, Indian Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, and Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff of India. Activities during this phase included table-top exercises on anti-piracy operations, information sharing, seamanship training, and a Defence Expo showcasing Indian defence products.

The sea phase, conducted from April 16 to 18, focused on enhancing operational coordination and interoperability among participating navies. Indian Navy ships INS Chennai and INS Kesari led manoeuvring exercises and Visit, Board, Search & Seizure (VBSS) drills. Notably, Indian MARCOS commandos, alongside Tanzanian and Kenyan special forces, engaged in joint training onboard INS Chennai, refining their operational skills and boosting mutual understanding. The drills also included search and rescue operations, small-arms firing, and helicopter operations, all aimed at strengthening maritime security cooperation.

AIKEYME 2025 underscored India’s commitment to collaborative regional security, reflecting the principles of the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The initiative is strategically significant, addressing shared challenges such as piracy, illegal fishing, and unregulated maritime activities, while also countering growing external influences in the region. The IOS Sagar initiative complemented AIKEYME by deploying INS Sunayna with a multinational crew, further enhancing joint operational capabilities and capacity building among African navies.

AIKEYME 2025 served as a platform for practical cooperation, fostering enduring partnerships and reinforcing India’s role as a preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region. The exercise demonstrated the spirit of jointness and unity, paving the way for long-term collaboration and collective solutions to regional maritime challenges.

ANI