SOURCE: AFI
In a landmark move to strengthen its strategic foothold in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India will launch its inaugural multilateral naval exercise, named AIKEYME (Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement), with 10 African nations off the coast of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, starting April 13, 2025.
Co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force, the six-day exercise includes Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa. This initiative, inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, marks a significant step in India’s efforts to safeguard its economic interests, combat piracy, and counter China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean, a vital artery for global trade and India’s energy security.
The Indian Ocean is the backbone of India’s economy, carrying 80% of its oil imports and over $250 billion in exports annually. Piracy, though subdued since its peak in the early 2010s, remains a persistent threat, with recent flare-ups off Somalia’s coast underscoring the need for vigilance. The AIKEYME exercise builds on India’s decade-long anti-piracy operations, including a 2022 trilateral drill with Tanzania and Mozambique, but shifts focus toward intelligence sharing and surveillance—critical tools for preempting maritime threats.
The exercise comprises two phases. The harbor phase involves tabletop and command post exercises on piracy and information sharing, alongside training in seamanship and Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) operations. The sea phase will feature practical drills, including search and rescue missions, small arms firing, helicopter operations, and VBSS, aimed at enhancing interoperability among the participating navies. By fostering real-time coordination, India aims to build a robust anti-piracy network, ensuring safe passage for its trade and energy supplies.
Beyond piracy, the AIKEYME exercise reflects India’s strategic response to China’s expanding presence in East Africa and the IOR. China’s first overseas naval base in Djibouti, established in 2017, and its investments in ports like Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam and Mozambique’s Beira, raise concerns in New Delhi about Beijing’s long-term intentions. Indian policymakers view these as part of China’s “String of Pearls” strategy to encircle India with dual-use infrastructure. The Indian Navy’s 12-ship deployment to the Gulf of Aden in early 2024, countering Somali piracy while Western navies focused on Houthi threats, showcased India’s resolve to fill security gaps and assert itself as the IOR’s “preferred security partner.”
The AIKEYME exercise, complemented by the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar initiative—where INS Sunayna will sail from April 15 to May 8, 2025, with a joint crew from India and nine partner nations (Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Sri Lanka)—signals deeper engagement. INS Sunayna’s port calls at Dar es Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Malé, alongside joint surveillance of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles’ Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), will enhance India’s maritime domain awareness. These initiatives align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across Regions) vision, unveiled in Mauritius in March 2025, to cement India’s role as a first responder in the IOR.
India’s existing radar stations in the Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles provide significant overwatch of critical sea lanes, from the Strait of Hormuz to the Malacca Strait. However, the AIKEYME exercise’s emphasis on intelligence sharing could lay the groundwork for expanded capabilities closer to East Africa. A proposed radar station in a country like Tanzania or Kenya would improve anti-piracy monitoring while offering strategic surveillance of Chinese naval movements—without directly escalating tensions with Beijing. Such a move would complement India’s new defense attaché postings in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Djibouti in 2024, signaling a proactive approach to regional security.
The Indian Navy’s experience in anti-piracy operations, including rescuing crews from hijacked vessels like MV Ruen and Lila Norfolk in early 2024, underscores its operational expertise. By training African navies in VBSS and surveillance techniques, India aims to build local capacity, reducing reliance on external powers. This aligns with the India-Africa Defence Dialogue (IADD), which saw 50 African nations collaborate in 2022 to advance maritime security and counter-terrorism.
The AIKEYME exercise, planned as a biennial event with ambitions to include West African nations in future editions, offers India multiple dividends. It strengthens ties with East African states, where India’s $80 billion trade and 3 million diaspora thrive. It also positions India as a reliable alternative to China, whose $300 billion trade with Africa dwarfs India’s but often comes with debt-trap concerns. India’s defense exports, including BrahMos missiles and patrol boats, could find new markets, with Tanzania and Mozambique already receiving Indian-made fast interceptor boats.
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