India and Africa Strengthen Maritime Bonds through Empowerment and Strategic Cooperation

22 April 2025
TDS/PIB

Sailing towards shared horizons the ceremonial flag-off of INSV Tarini from Cape Town on 15 April 2025 marked more than just the final leg of an extraordinary circumnavigation mission; it symbolized the strength, resilience, and maritime resurgence of the Global South—led by the empowered women of India and embraced by African solidarity. As Lieutenant Commanders Dilna K and Roopa A embarked on their final stretch back to Goa, their presence in South Africa became a testament to India’s commitment to gender equality, indigenous innovation, and growing oceanic cooperation with Africa.

The Navika Sagar Parikrama II, a pioneering voyage undertaken by two women officers of the Indian Navy, has been a journey of grit, skill, and spirit, navigating over 23,400 nautical miles under extreme weather conditions. It exemplifies the Indian Navy’s rising commitment to inclusive excellence—highlighting the role of women in shaping India's maritime future and promoting the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative through the indigenously built INSV Tarini. As the vessel docked at Cape Town’s Royal Cape Yacht Club, it also became a platform for dialogue, diplomacy, and dreams shared across oceans—engaging naval cadets, university students, youth from the Indian diaspora, and aspiring sailors of the Royal Cape Yacht Club.

This historic mission reached beyond symbolism—it mirrored the evolution of a new Indo-African maritime synergy, one built on shared challenges, mutual respect, and collective aspirations.

That spirit came alive again just days later, when India and nine African nations launched AIKEYME-25 (Africa India Key Maritime Engagement), the first-ever multilateral naval drill between India and African littoral states. Co-hosted by India and Tanzania, the six-day joint exercise brought together maritime forces from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and the host nation, Tanzania. Against the stunning blue backdrop of the Western Indian Ocean, navies engaged in anti-piracy patrols, search-and-rescue drills, and coordinated tactical exercises, showcasing the operational readiness and interoperability of partners from the Global South.

AIKEYME-25 reflects a visionary leap in regional security cooperation, driven by India's strategic doctrines of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). These frameworks promote collaborative maritime governance and counter emerging non-traditional threats—such as illegal fishing, maritime trafficking, and unregulated commercial activity—challenges that have grown amid rising geopolitical competition in the Indian Ocean.

India’s naval diplomacy in Africa is no longer limited to symbolic port calls. From the INS Talwar’s participation in Exercise IBSAMAR 2024 in South Africa, to INS Tushil’s recent port engagement in Durban, and now AIKEYME-25, India is laying the groundwork for a dependable, development-driven maritime partnership.

For African nations, many of which are navigating the complexities of Blue Economy growth and external strategic interests, India offers a trustworthy, capacity-building alternative—one rooted in shared colonial histories, democratic values, and developmental priorities. For India, Africa’s rise and strategic geography across the Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) present an opportunity to co-create a secure, sovereign, and sustainable maritime future.

As INSV Tarini sails home to Goa, its wake leaves behind more than waves—it leaves behind a message: women’s empowerment, regional solidarity, and South-South maritime cooperation are no longer aspirations; they are anchors of a shared destiny.
The Indian Ocean is not just a theatre of contest—it is a corridor of cooperation. Together, India and Africa are proving that the sea can unite just as powerfully as it can divide. And in these turbulent times, that unity might be our strongest compass.