Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth attended a cultural programme organised as part of the AIKEYME (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement) naval exercise in Tanzania, highlighting the deepening maritime and cultural ties between India and East African nations.
AIKEYME, which stands for “Unity” in Sanskrit, is a multilateral maritime engagement exercise bringing together 10 countries—India, Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania. The inaugural edition kicked off on April 13 and will continue until April 18, featuring both onshore and offshore activities.
During the cultural programme, MoS Sanjay Seth met with members of the Indian diaspora who have been living and contributing to Tanzanian society for decades.
Sameer Gupta, Managing Director of Kamal Group, shared with media:
“Today, it was a great opportunity to be a part of this very big event where the ships arrived for strengthening the relationship between India and Tanzania. I got this opportunity to meet the State Minister of Defence, so it was indeed a great pleasure attending this event. It is really a matter of pride that India and Tanzania’s relationship is getting stronger.”
Professor Kaushik Ramaiah, a senior physician and endocrinologist based in Tanzania, said:
“I was born in Tanzania and I have been working for last forty-three years. I was invited to this august gathering by the Indian High Commissioner to come and see the inauguration of this exercise, which is being done in the East African sector, and it has been a privilege to meet the Indian High Commissioner but at the same time, the Minister of State for Defense. It is a pleasure, and it makes us all proud to see what India is doing, I wish them the best.”
In his address, MoS Seth emphasised the significance of the AIKEYME exercise:
“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.”
The exercise aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), aiming to enhance regional cooperation and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region.