India to conduct joint naval exercise 'Aikeyme' with 10 African nations

NEW DELHI: India will now for the first time conduct a major naval exercise called `Aikeyme’ with 10 African countries, as part of the continuing military outreach to the continent where China has made major strategic inroads, even as it keeps a close watch on the threats posed by Somali pirates and Houthi rebels in the region.
The Navy will next month also launch another maiden initiative called `Indian Ocean ship (IOS) Sagar’, under which a combined crew of Indian sailors and 44 personnel from nine friendly foreign countries will man offshore patrol vessel INS Sunayna during her deployment to the south-west Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from April m5 to May 8.
“Over the past 10 years, the Indian Navy has deepened its partnerships with navies and agencies of IOR countries to enhance maritime security in consonance with the govt’s vision of `Sagar’ (security and growth for all in the region),” Navy deputy chief Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti on Monday.
“With the announcement of `Mahasagar’ (mutual and holistic advancement for security across the regions) by the PM during his visit to Mauritius in March, Aikeyme and IOS Sagar -- first of their kind initiatives -- are aimed at consolidating India’s stature as the ‘preferred security partner’ and `first responder in the IOR,” he said.

While attacks by Somali pirates and Houthi rebels in the region have receded since Dec, an Indian warship is permanently deployed in the Gulf of Aden and adjoining seas, and more will be sent if piracy gains “ascendancy” again, the deputy chief added.
The multi-nation Aikeyme exercise, or the `Africa-India key maritime engagement’, will be conducted off Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania from April 13 to 18. “We are looking to make the exercise a biennial endeavour. This time it includes east African countries. In the next edition, we will invite west African countries as well to make it a larger African exercise,” Vice Admiral Sobti said.
The countries taking part in Aikeyme, which will be inaugurated by defence minister Rajnath Singh, include Tanzania (which is co-hosting it), the Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa.
The exercise will focus on VBSS (visit board search and seizure) drills, arms firings, helicopter operations, seamanship evolutions, search and rescue missions, among others. “There will also be table-top and command post exercises on

anti-piracy operations

and information-sharing,” Vice Admiral Sobti said.
India and Africa give immense importance to maritime security and have reiterated their commitment to increase cooperation in tackling threats such as piracy, drugs smuggling, trafficking and other illegal activities through sharing of information and surveillance, he added.
The IOS Sagar, in turn, will see 44 personnel -- already undergoing training at Kochi -- from Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa on board INS Sunayna, which will set sail from Karwar on April 5.
The warship will undertake port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria and Male as well as undertake joint surveillance of EEZs of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius and Seychelles.