Indian Naval ships to participate in Africa India Key Maritime Engagement Exercise

The Indian Navy is all set to organise a six-day large scale multilateral exercise Africa India Key Maritime Engagement, AIKEYME from Sunday.

The exercise being jointly organised by India and Tanzania will include participation from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.

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Aiming to promote government vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR), the Indian Naval Ships INS Chennai (destroyer) and INS Kesari [Landing Ship Tank (Large)] had previously arrived in Dar-es-Salaam. INS Sunayna which sailed out from Karwar, as Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR, will also be participating in AIKEYME.

A statement from the naval spokesperson stated that the inauguration ceremony of AIKEYME will be co-hosted onboard, along with the Tanzanian Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF).

The harbour phase for AIKEYME 25 will include Table Top and Command Post Exercises focused on anti-piracy ops and information sharing, alongside joint training in seamanship and Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises in collaboration with the TPDF.

“To promote camaraderie, activities such as sports fixtures and yoga sessions will also take place. Additionally, the Indian Naval ships will be open to visitors during the harbour phase to engage with the local population,” stated the spokesperson.

The sea phase, scheduled from 16-18 April, will focus on strengthening maritime security cooperation among the participating maritime nations.