This landmark six-day exercise, co-hosted by India and Tanzania, follows the successful completion of the harbour phase in Dar es Salaam and involves navies from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Eritrea, alongside the hosts.
The drills are designed to strengthen maritime security cooperation, enhance interoperability, and address shared challenges such as piracy, trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing—a persistent concern in the region, often linked to Chinese activities.
The sea phase features a range of complex joint manoeuvres, including anti-piracy operations, visit-board-search-and-seizure (VBSS) exercises, search-and-rescue missions, small arms training, and helicopter operations. Indian Navy warships INS Chennai, INS Kesari, and INS Sunayna are leading the Indian contingent, supported by P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, underscoring India’s growing naval capabilities and commitment to regional security.
The exercise aligns with India’s strategic visions of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), which aim to position India as a trusted partner and “first responder” in the Indian Ocean.
