‘Aikeyme’ maritime exercise: India and Tanzania to co-host 10-nation drill
The ten-nation inaugural ‘India-Africa’ maritime exercise, ‘Aikeyme’, meaning ‘unity’ in Sanskrit, is set to kick off in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Sunday, coinciding with Baisakhi, a festival marking harvest in northern India. The six-day exercise, scheduled from April 13 to 18, will feature participation from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa, alongside co-hosts India and Tanzania.
The exercise, co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF), aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions (MAHASAGAR). The Indian Naval Ships INS Chennai and INS Kesari had arrived in Dar es Salaam earlier this week. The inauguration ceremony of ‘Aikeyme’ will be co-hosted on-board with TPDF.
The harbour phase will include an inauguration ceremony and a deck reception with Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Tanzania’s Defence Minister as chief guests. Indian Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi will also be present in Tanzania. Planned activities during the harbour phase will focus on anti-piracy operations, information sharing, and joint training in seamanship. Additionally, the Indian Naval ships will be open to visitors to engage with the local population.
The sea phase, scheduled from April 16 to 18, will focus on strengthening maritime security cooperation among participating nations. The exercise aims to develop collaborative solutions to common regional maritime challenges, enhancing interoperability and synergising combined operations among maritime forces.
Notably, the Indian Navy will carry a crew of nine friendly countries on its warship INS Sunayna, scheduled for a month-long operational deployment in the Indian Ocean. INS Sunayna will participate in the India-Africa exercise, with crew members from nine countries manning stations on-board during regular ship operations.
