DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania — India and Tanzania on Sunday launched the inaugural edition of Africa India Key Maritime Engagement, or AIKEYME, a six-day multilateral naval exercise aimed at strengthening maritime security and regional cooperation across the Indian Ocean.
The exercise, whose name means “Unity” in Sanskrit, runs from April 13 to 18 and includes participation from eight African nations: Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa. India and Tanzania are co-hosting the event, which combines both harbor and sea phases.
AIKEYME aligns with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s broader regional maritime vision, MAHASAGAR, which is short for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
Indian naval ships INS Chennai, a destroyer, and INS Kesari, a landing ship tank, arrived in Dar es Salaam on April 10 and 11, respectively. The inauguration ceremony, co-hosted with the Tanzanian Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF), took place onboard the visiting vessels. A ceremonial guard and combined military band played the national anthems of India and Tanzania as part of the welcoming events.
The harbor phase includes tabletop and command post exercises focused on anti-piracy operations, information sharing, and joint training in seamanship and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) techniques with the TPDF. Other events include sports matches, yoga sessions, and ship tours for local residents.
Indian Minister of State for Defense Sanjay Seth and Tanzania’s Defense Minister are attending the harbor events as chief guests.
The sea phase, scheduled from April 16 to 18, will focus on coordinated maritime operations designed to improve interoperability and readiness among participating navies.
Also joining the exercise is INS Sunayna, which departed from Karwar on April 5 as part of India’s ongoing SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) initiative.
AIKEYME marks a significant step in India’s naval diplomacy, reflecting its growing security partnerships with African nations and its strategic focus on the Indian Ocean region.
