Indian Navy announces maiden IOS SAGAR deployment and AIKEYME exercise with African nations
The Indian Navy announced on 24 March 2025 its maiden initiatives, the IOS SAGAR deployment of INS Sunayna with a multinational crew and the AIKEYME maritime exercise with African countries, co-hosted with Tanzania.
Summary
The Indian Navy announced on 24 March 2025 two maiden initiatives under the SAGAR vision and the MAHASAGAR vision announced by the Prime Minister in Mauritius in March 2025. Under Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR, INS Sunayna would deploy to the Southwest Indian Ocean in April 2025 with a combined crew from India and nine friendly foreign countries: Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and South Africa. The second initiative, Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), meaning 'unity' in Sanskrit, is a large multilateral exercise with African countries, co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People's Defence Force at and off Dar-es-Salaam, to be inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in mid-April 2025.
Key facts
- Announced
- 24 March 2025, Indian Navy
- IOS SAGAR ship
- INS Sunayna, crew from India + 9 countries
- Deployment
- Southwest IOR, April 2025
- AIKEYME
- Africa India Key Maritime Engagement; 'unity' in Sanskrit
- Co-host
- Tanzania People's Defence Force, Dar-es-Salaam
- Inauguration
- Planned by Rajnath Singh, mid-April 2025
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Which Indian naval ship was named for the maiden IOS SAGAR deployment announced on 24 March 2025?
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Correct answer: B — INS Sunayna
INS Sunayna was to deploy to the Southwest Indian Ocean with a combined crew from India and nine friendly foreign countries.
With which country's defence force was the maiden AIKEYME exercise to be co-hosted, as announced by the Indian Navy in March 2025?
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Correct answer: D — Tanzania
AIKEYME was to be co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People's Defence Force at and off Dar-es-Salaam.
Consider the following statements about the Indian Navy's initiatives announced on 24 March 2025: 1. 'AIKEYME' means 'unity' in Sanskrit. 2. The IOS SAGAR crew was to include personnel from nine friendly foreign countries, including Sri Lanka and Maldives. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement) means 'unity' in Sanskrit. IOS SAGAR's combined crew was to include personnel from Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and South Africa.