While the inaugural Africa/India Key Maritime Engagement (Aikeyme) was underway last week off Tanzania, another component of maritime defence diplomacy played out in India with high level flag officer meetings.
Spanish Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva, current Operation Atalanta commander, met with Commander-in-Chief of India’s Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Sasjit Singh and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral SR Sequira. He also teleconferenced with Vice Admiral AN Pramod, Indian Navy Director-General Naval Operations. Villanueva’s visit to the sub-continent was a first for the European Union (EU) tasking in the Western Indian Ocean.
“Core topics” for the visit, as per a statement issued by the long-running EU naval operation, included enhancing Atalanta/Indian Navy operational co-operation as well as building and strengthening relationships.
At the Indian Navy’s western command, which includes the western Indian Ocean in its area of operations (AoO), Villanueva and his counterparts exchanged views on the AoO. Also on his itinerary was the Indian Navy Information Fusion Centre (IFC) where “productive discussions” on improving the IFC Atalanta Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO) relationship took place.
Since its establishment 16 years ago, Atalanta has had good relations with the Indian Navy – testimony of a shared commitment to ensuring maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. Joint at sea “activities” in 2022 were a further contribution to freedom of navigation as well as strengthening the relationship.
Meanwhile, the inaugural Aikeyme wrapped up on 18 April in Dar es Salaam. The exercise aimed to strengthen regional maritime security and promote cooperation among participating nations. It featured a range of drills and operations involving various participating navies.
The exercise officially began on 13 April in Dar-es-Salaam, marking what the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) said was a significant step in strengthening maritime cooperation between India and African nations.
The harbour phase began on 13 April and concluded on 15 April. Joint training sessions for Indian Navy and Tanzanian Navy personnel on damage control, fire fighting, seamanship evolutions, small arms and boat handling procedures were conducted by the Kolkata class stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kesari along with a specialist team from the Shardul class tank landing ship INS Chennai, while a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) and Command Post Exercise (CPX) were conducted at the Shule Ya Ubaharia (Naval Training School) in Dar-es-Salaam.
The harbour phase also featured a defence exposition in which 22 Indian firms showcased advanced technologies, including surveillance and communication systems.
The sea phase commenced on 16 April and focussed on seamanship evolutions, search and rescue, VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure), small arms firing and helicopter operations, the Indian Navy said. Around 10 ships took part in the drills, along with an Indian Navy P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft. The Kenya Navy contributed the offshore patrol vessel KNS Jasiri and patrol vessel KNS Shupavu, along with the Special Boats Unit (SBU).
Aikeyme 25, meaning ‘Unity’ in Sanskrit, saw participation from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa, alongside India and Tanzania.
Coinciding with Aikeyme is the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) IOS Sagar initiative, which aims to enhance cooperation with Indian Ocean Region nations. It is seeing the Saryu-class patrol vessel INS Sunayna deployed to the Southwest Indian Ocean Region between 5 April and 8 May with a combined crew of Indian and 44 foreign crewmembers from Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.
INS Sunayna entered Dar-es-Salaam on 12 April for Aikeyme and departed two days later for her next stop in Nacala, Mozambique. After a three-day port visit, INS Sunayna departed for Port Louis, Mauritius.
