INS Sunayna enters Port of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania, set to participate in Ex Aikeyme

DAR ES SALAM (Tanzania): INS Sunayna, designated as an Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar ship, entered the Port of Dar-es-Salaam in Tanzania on April 12 and will participate in the harbour phase of Exercise Aikeyme, according to the Ministry of Defence press release.

The ship sailed from Goa’s Karwar on April 5, along with 44 naval personnel from nine Friendly Foreign Nations (FFNs) of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) who were embarked as part of the ship’s crew.

The FFN includes Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and South Africa. Rear Admiral AR Hassan, Chief of Tanzania Navy; Rear Admiral Nirbhay Bapna, ACNS (FCI); and Commodore Agyapal Singh, Defence Attache for Tanzania, alongside dignitaries from the Indian High Commission and Tanzania People Defence Force, accorded a warm welcome to IOS Sagar.

In a post on X, the Indian Navy spokesperson stated, “INS Sunayna sailing as Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR #IOS_SAGAR, made its first port call at Dar-es-Salaam, #Tanzania on #12Apr 25. RAdm AR Hassan, Chief of Tanzania Navy, accompanied by RAdm Nirbhay Bapna, ACNS (FCI), #IndianNavy, embarked IOS SAGAR & interacted with multi-national crew onboard. The ship is scheduled to participate in the inaugural event of #AIKEYME 25 on #13Apr 25.”

#INSSunayna sailing as Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR #IOS_SAGAR, made its first port call at Dar-es-Salaam, #Tanzania on #12Apr 25.

RAdm AR Hassan, Chief of Tanzania Navy, accompanied by RAdm Nirbhay Bapna, ACNS (FCI), #IndianNavy, embarked IOS SAGAR & interacted with multi-national… https://t.co/tEtNrAFr5G pic.twitter.com/z0aEReMKwo

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) April 13, 2025

During this port call, the ship will also participate in the harbour phase of Exercise Aikeyme, a key naval exercise that will be inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth on April 13.

In a press release, the Ministry of Defence stated, “The exercise will focus on enhancing operational coordination, refining joint strategies, and improving interoperability in maritime operations. Two Indian Navy ships, INS Chennai (Destroyer) and INS Kesari [Landing Ship Tank (Large)], will also participate in the exercise alongside INS Sunayna.”

“The participation of personnel from FFNs onboard INS Sunayna further underscores the significance of this initiative in promoting global maritime cooperation. Through such exercises and engagements, the Indian Navy remains committed to advancing collective maritime security, fostering goodwill and ensuring the free and safe movement of shipping lanes in the region,” it added.

The ship will depart Dar-es-Salaam on April 15 for the next port of call, Nacala, Mozambique to continue with the IOS Sagar mission. Earlier, on April 5, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off INS Sunayna from Karwar.

In a landmark event, Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri @rajnathsingh flagged off #INSSunayna from #Karwar today as #IOS_SAGAR with 44 personnel from 9 friendly foreign navies embarked onboard.

The deployment marks a new chapter in maritime cooperation and underscores India’s… pic.twitter.com/beCHCraPO9

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) April 5, 2025

The inaugural edition of the large-scale multilateral exercise Africa India Key Maritime Engagement, AIKEYME, which means ‘Unity’ in Sanskrit, is set to begin from April 13-18 and will include participation from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles and South Africa, alongside the co-hosts India and Tanzania.

This initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).

The Indian Naval Ships INS Chennai (destroyer) and INS Kesari [Landing Ship Tank (Large)] arrived in Dar-es-Salaam on April 10 and 11, respectively. The inauguration ceremony of AIKEYME will be co-hosted onboard by the Tanzanian People’s Defence Force (TPDF).

DA Tanzania and the Liaison team welcomed the ships. A Ceremonial Guard was also paraded onboard INS Chennai, with the TPDF and Indian Navy bands playing in unison the National Anthems of their respective countries.

The harbour phase for Aikeyme 25 will include an inauguration ceremony and a deck reception with the Honorable Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth and Tanzania’s Defence Minister as Chief Guests

Planned activities during this phase include Tabletop and Command Post Exercises focused on anti-piracy operations and information sharing, joint seamanship training, and Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises in collaboration with the TPDF.

To promote camaraderie, activities like sports fixtures and yoga sessions will also take place. In addition, the Indian Naval ships will be open to visitors during the harbour phase to engage with the local population. The sea phase set to begin from April 16-18 will focus on strengthening maritime security cooperation among the participating maritime nations.

In a press release, the Ministry of Defence stated, “Aikeyme aims to develop collaborative solutions to common regional maritime challenges. This maiden initiative by the Indian Navy seeks to enhance interoperability and synergise combined operations among the maritime forces of partner nations. It also highlights the strong and friendly relations between India and the African nations.” (ANI)