Context: The Indian Navy has announced a series of maritime initiatives to bolster cooperation with Africa and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Africa India Key Maritime Engagement; IOS Sagar; MAHASAGAR
1. Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME):
- Large-scale multinational exercise scheduled to be held with 10 African countries.
- The maiden edition of the India-Africa multilateral exercise ‘AIKEYME’ is being co-hosted by: Indian Navy and Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF).
- It will be conducted at/off Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania from April 13 to 18, 2025.
- Participating nations: Tanzania, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa.
- Focus on: VBSS (visit board search and seizure) drills, arms firings, helicopter operations, seamanship evolutions, search and rescue missions.
2. India-African Naval Exercise: IOS Sagar
- IOS Sagar is an initiative towards continued cooperation with IOR nations.
- An offshore patrol vessel INS Sunayna is set to be deployed to the Southwest IOR, from April 5 to May 8, 2025.
- Participating nations: INS Sunayna will have a combined crew of India and nine Friendly Foreign Countries (FFC)- Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, South Africa.
- The warship will undertake port calls at Dar-es-Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria and Male.
- Significance: Capacity-building, enhanced interoperability, and regional security cooperation.
3. Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions (MAHASAGAR):
- Announced in 2025, during the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Mauritius.
- The MAHASAGAR vision builds on the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) policy. SAGAR has guided India's engagement with the Indian Ocean Region for the past decade.
- It would work towards:
- Emphasising trade for development, capacity building for sustainable growth, and mutual security for a shared future.
- Ensuring cooperation through technology sharing, concessional loans and grants.
Significance of India’s Maritime Engagement:
- Counter China’s influence: The initiatives are against the backdrop of massive inroads by China in Africa through infrastructure projects, and in IOR through naval bases (E.g., Djibouti).
- Regional security: Proactive maritime engagement, coordinated patrols, information sharing, naval exercises to boost security in the IOR to counter threats of maritime piracy (Somali pirates) and maritime terrorism.
- Secure trade routes: Ensure safe and secure trade routes between India, Africa and other nations, against continued threat from Houthi rebels to global shipping routes.
- Soft power diplomacy: Build goodwill through Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) efforts, capacity building and other diplomatic engagements.
Also Read: Charting a route for IORA under India’s Chairship
MAHASAGAR, IOS Sagar and AIKEYME are aimed at consolidating Indian Navy’s stature as the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ and ‘First Responder’ in the Indian Ocean Region.