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Inaugural AIKEYME Exercise: A large-scale multilateral maritime exercise, Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), commenced in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania on April 13, 2025.
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Co-hosts: Jointly hosted by India and Tanzania, highlighting shared strategic interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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Participating Nations: Includes India, Tanzania, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.
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Objective: To develop collaborative solutions for regional maritime challenges and enhance naval interoperability.
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Strategic Alignment: Aligns with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative.
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Indian Naval Deployment: INS Chennai, INS Kesari, and INS Sunayna are participating. INS Sunayna is part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR mission.
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Exercise Structure: Six-day exercise (April 13-18, 2025) divided into harbor and sea phases.
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Harbor Phase Activities: Included an inauguration ceremony, table-top exercises focused on anti-piracy operations, seamanship training, and Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises.
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Sea Phase Focus: Strengthening maritime security cooperation among participating nations.
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IOS SAGAR Mission: INS Sunayna’s deployment under the IOS SAGAR mission includes joint surveillance and goodwill port calls in Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Maldives.
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Strategic Goals: Aims to enhance maritime cooperation between India and African nations, focusing on security, trade, blue economy, and combating piracy in the IOR, and promoting regional stability and sustainable development.
AIKEYME: Maritime Nexus
