Indian Navy's AIKEYME participation a matter of happiness: Admiral Tripathi

Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi on Sunday said that the Indian Navy's participation in the AIKEYME exercise is a matter of great happiness for the Indian Navy and the country.

He further emphasised that the presence of three Indian Navy ships--INS Chennai, INS Kesari, and the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar--in Dar es Salaam Harbour signifies a moment of great pride for both the Navy and the nation.

While speaking with ANI Admiral Tripathi said, "It is a matter of great happiness for the Indian Navy and the country that three ships of the Indian Navy are here in this Dar es Salaam Harbour... AIKEYME is a transformative exercise. This is the first time that 10 countries ... will coordinate in such an exercise -- INS Chennai, INS Kesari, and Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR are the three ships present here."

He added, "This is a regional solution for maritime security in the Indian Ocean region. In AIKEYME, 10 countries have brought their various ships, aircraft and delegates, and the exercise will be conducted in two phases--the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase. But in IOS Sagar, the officers and sailors of these 10 countries will spend 35 days together on our ship and will learn each other's best practices... Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off IOS Sagar from Karwar (Goa) on April 5. After this (Tanzania), the ship will go to four more countries and will arrive in the Kochi harbour after 30-35 days."

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, highlighted the significance of the AIKEYME naval exercise and said that the participation of India's three major ships and four Tanzanian vessels, along with a Defence Expo showcased efforts in strengthening maritime security.

Speaking with ANI, Seth said, "Today, a naval exercise of 10 countries was held here, along with a Defence Expo where we had three big ships of India and four small ships of Tanzania. The AIKEYME, a joint effort of 10 countries for the security of the Indian Ocean, was also inaugurated. The naval exercise will run for six days: three days in Dar es Salaam and three days in the sea. This exercise is happening for the first time in a country like Africa. We also gave parachutes, simulators, and books worth Rs 80 lakhs to the Defence Department of Tanzania."

Sanjay Seth on Sunday attended the opening ceremony of AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement), a multilateral exercise for maritime progress and security that brings together 10 countries, including India, Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa.

The inaugural edition of AIKEYME, which means 'Unity' in Sanskrit, began on April 13 and will run till April 18. This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of promoting Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).