Indian Navy To Conduct First-Ever Naval Exercise With 10 African Nations

India will conduct its first-ever multilateral naval exercise with African nations to counter China in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME) exercise will be held from April 13 to 18 off the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

It will bring together naval forces from 10 African nations, including Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and the host nation of Tanzania.

The Indian Navy is co-hosting AIKEYME with the Tanzania People’s Defence Force. The exercise aligns with India’s Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) policy, which completes a decade in 2025.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth across Regions (MAHASAGAR) initiative.

According to Indian naval officials, AIKEYME will enhance interoperability between the Indian Navy and its African counterparts.

It will focus on maritime security, information-sharing, and countering threats such as piracy, illegal trafficking and unregulated fishing.

The naval drills will be divided into two phases:

Harbour Phase (Pre-Sea Training):

• Table Top and command post exercises focused on anti-piracy and maritime information-sharing.
• Training in seamanship and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations, which are crucial for countering piracy and illegal activities at sea.

Sea Phase (Operational Drills):

• Seamanship exercises and search and rescue operations
• Small arms firing, helicopter operations, and VBSS drills to improve tactical coordination among participating navies.

The Indian Navy plans to make AIKEYME a biennial exercise, with an expanded list of participating nations in the future. Officials stated that West African nations will be invited to join the next edition.

The country is also launching another major naval initiative, the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar program.

Under this initiative, the INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, will be deployed in the South West Indian Ocean Region from April 5 to May 8 with a combined crew of Indian sailors and 44 personnel from nine friendly foreign countries (FFCs): Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Maldives, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and South Africa.

The ship will make port calls at Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Nacala (Mozambique), Port Louis (Mauritius), Port Victoria (Seychelles), and Malé (Maldives).

It will also conduct joint surveillance of the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles.

Before deployment, the 44 foreign personnel underwent a two-week training program at various Indian naval schools in Kochi to prepare for joint operations.

The INS Sunayna’s crew will also observe the harbour phase of AIKEYME in Dar es Salaam to enhance cooperation between the two initiatives. Per reports, Chinese state-owned enterprises are involved in port development projects in 78 locations across 32 African nations.

China operates its first overseas military base in Djibouti, a country participating in AIKEYME.

Beijing has expanded its naval activities in the Indian Ocean by developing warships for anti-piracy operations, conducting military exercises, and securing access to strategic ports.

With the launch of AIKEYME and IOS Sagar, India aims to counterbalance China’s growing influence and establish itself as a reliable security partner for African nations.

References: Bloomberg, business standard

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