Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME)
Kartavya Desk Staff
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.
• 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:
• 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.
• 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:
• 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: Tabletop exercises on piracy response and information sharing. Training sessions in seamanship and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Month-long joint surveillance and port calls in Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Maldives.