New Delhi: India and a group of African countries on Wednesday began the sea phase of their maiden naval drills in the western Indian Ocean region (IOR) to boost maritime security cooperation and address the shared challenges in a maritime expanse where China seeks to expand its presence, people familiar with the matter said.
The harbour phase of the six-day multilateral exercise called Aikeyme (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement) ended at Dar es Salaam in Tanzania on Tuesday, paving the way for the sea phase where the participating navies will conduct joint manoeuvres, anti-piracy drills, visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) exercises, and search-and-rescue operations, the Indian Navy said on Wednesday.
“Aikeyme-25 reinforces India’s role as a trusted partner in the Indo-Pacific and African littorals, aligning with the vision of Sagar (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and Mahasagar (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions),” it said in a statement.
Co-hosted by India and Tanzania, the Aikeyme (unity in Sanskrit) involves Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa. The challenges in the IOR include China’s carefully calculated power play for influence and defending the rule-based international order. Around 10 ships, including destroyer INS Chennai and landing ship tank (large) INS Kesari, are taking part in the drills, along with P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft of the Indian Navy.
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The harbour phase marked a significant step in strengthening maritime cooperation between India, Tanzania, and other African partner nations, the navy said. The exercise aims to enhance interoperability, refine joint operational strategies and address maritime challenges such as piracy, trafficking and illegal fishing, it added.
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is among the challenges in the IOR, and China is under the scanner for such activities.
Beijing’s approach to expand its maritime footprint in the IOR includes setting up military bases, pushing countries to advance its maritime claims and forcing strategic concessions from vulnerable states. These actions have fuelled global concerns about China’s intent.
In March, navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said the navy is fully aware of the ongoing developments in the IOR and keeping a close watch on dual-role vessels operating in the vast maritime expanse. The comments came at a time when the Chinese navy is seeking to boost its presence in the region.
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The harbour phase, from April 13 to 15, also featured a defence exposition in which 22 Indian firms showcased advanced technologies, including surveillance and communication systems.
India is tapping new markets as the country marches towards achieving the target of increasing defence exports to ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
India’s defence exports touched a record high of ₹23,622 crore in the financial year (FY) 2024-25 on the back of policy initiatives and reforms, a growth of 12.04% over last year. The figure stood at ₹21,083 crore in FY 2023-24.