Exercise AIKEYME

News– India is set to enhance its military and maritime cooperation with African nations through two key initiatives—Exercise AIKEYME (Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement) and IOS Sagar (Indian Ocean Ship Sagar).

About Exercise AIKEYME

• Aikeyme marks India’s first-ever multilateral naval exercise with 10 African nations.It  focuses on strengthening maritime collaboration, bolstering maritime security, and tackling regional challenges.
• It is scheduled to take place off the coast of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, from April 13 to 18, 2025.
• Participating nations– Tanzania (co-host), Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.
• Aim– To improve interoperability between the Indian Navy and African navies, emphasizing joint efforts against piracy and drug trafficking.
• Key Activities: Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) drills, arms firing exercises, helicopter operations, search and rescue missions, and table-top and command post exercises on anti-piracy operations and information-sharing.

About IOS Sagar

• The IOS Sagar initiative is designed to deepen India’s maritime collaboration with Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries.
• It involves the deployment of the Indian Navy’s INS Sunayna, crewed by Indian sailors alongside 44 personnel from nine African nations.
• The initiative will take place from April 5 to May 8, 2025.
• Key Participating Countries: Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.
• Key Activities:
  • The ship will make port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Male.
  • It will conduct joint surveillance of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
  • The Personnel will undergo two-week training sessions in Kochi, covering sea training, watchkeeping, and other professional naval activities.