India will conduct its first major naval exercise, AIKEYME (Africa-India key maritime engagement), with 10 African nations next month. This initiative is part of India’s ongoing military outreach to the continent, where China has made significant strategic inroads.

• The inaugural edition of AIKEYME will be co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) and is scheduled to take place off Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in mid-April 2025.
• The exercise will be formally inaugurated by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The exercise will see participation from India, Tanzania, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa.
• The initiative aims to become a biennial event.