India, 9 African nations kick-start mega naval exercise off Dar-es-Salaam

New Delhi: India and nine African nations on Sunday kick-started a six-day mega naval exercise off Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, signalling their long-term vision to work unitedly to confront common challenges in the maritime domain.

The India-initiated exercise is taking place under the broad framework of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s new vision called MAHASAGAR or ‘Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions’ for engagement with the Global South.

The co-hosts of the maiden ‘AIKEYME’ or Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement exercise are the Indian Navy and the Tanzania Peoples Defence Force, officials said.

Navy Chief Dinesh K Tripathi, Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth and Tanzanian Defence Minister Stergomena Lawrence Tax were among those who attended the inauguration ceremony of the exercise. India and Africa have been cooperating in tackling maritime security threats such as piracy, illegal activities including trafficking, and unregulated and unreported fishing, through sharing of information and surveillance.

However, the ‘AIKEYME’ exercise is likely to significantly expand the ongoing cooperation, the officials said.

The inauguration ceremony was punctuated by a parade of a 50-man guard and the stirring performance of the Indian Navy Band, embodying the spirit of maritime cooperation, according to an Indian Navy readout.

In his remarks, Seth emphasised the African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together”, highlighting the need for enduring partnerships in maritime security.

He expressed gratitude to Tanzania for hosting AIKEYME 25, marking a significant step towards long-term collaboration, the Indian Navy said in the readout.