Dae-es-Salaam [Tanzania], April 15 (ANI): Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and Tanzanian Defence Force Chief, General John Jacob Mkunda together sang the iconic Bollywood friendship anthem 'Yeh Dosti Nahi Chhodenge' ('We'll Never Leave This Friendship') reflecting on the cementing of bilateral ties between the two countries.

The Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME), a six-day multilateral exercise began on April 13 and the Indian Naval Chief and the Tanzanian Defence Force Chief participated in a gala dinner on Monday.

The AIKEYME 2025 was inaugurated on April 13 in the Tanzanian capital of Dar-es-Salaam, marking a significant step in strengthening maritime cooperation between India and African nations.

The ceremony was attended by Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Minister of Defence and National Service of Tanzania, Sanjay Seth, India's Raksha Rajya Mantri (RRM) and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi. The event also saw the attendance of distinguished military leaders, including the Chief of Defence Force of the Tanzania Peoples' Defence Force (TPDF), a statement by the Ministry of Defence said.

In his address, Sanjay Seth emphasised the spirit of collaboration by quoting the African proverb, 'If you want to go fast, go alone, If you want to go far, go together.'

He expressed hope for a 'life-long partnership', invoked India's maritime vision Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR) and thanked Tanzania for co-hosting AIKEYME 25 alongside India, as per the statement.

Tax, whilst inaugurating the exercise, stressed the 'significance of going along' to tackle maritime threats like piracy and trafficking. She called for 'collaborative effort towards Maritime security by like-minded partners' and highlighted the aim of building an 'enduring framework of maritime security, including innovation and information sharing.'

She also reaffirmed Tanzania's commitment to hosting future AIKEYME editions and their broader belief in 'collaborative regional cooperation' beyond military affairs.

For AIKEYME, the Indian Navy is represented by INS Chennai and INS Kesari. Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR was also present for the inaugural ceremony. The chief guests interacted with the multinational crew from Friendly Foreign Countries(FFCs) from IOS Sagar. (ANI)