3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Feb 13, 2026 02:23 AM IST
In a first, the Indian Navy has taken command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a key multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), a development that the Navy said underscores India’s commitment to collaborative maritime security and capacity building in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.
In a statement, the Navy said the change of command ceremony was conducted on Wednesday at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, and was presided over by Vice Admiral Curt A Renshaw, Commander, CMF/ US NAVCENT/US Fifth Fleet.
Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS), and senior military leaders from other member nations were present at the event. Commodore Milind M Mokashi from the Indian Navy formally took over as Commander CTF 154 from the outgoing Commander of the Italian Navy.
“India’s participation in CMF, and now the responsibility of leading CTF 154, reflects its enduring commitment to regional security, cooperative engagement and a rules-based international order,” Commodore Mokashi said.
“Together, through training, cooperation and shared purpose, we will enhance readiness, build trust and contribute meaningfully to maritime stability across the region and beyond,” Commodore Mokashi added.
CTF 154 is specifically oriented towards training and capacity building of member nations of CMF.
“It reflects the region’s growing trust in India’s professional expertise, operational experience, and a role as a Preferred Security Partner among the 47 nations under the CMF,” the Navy said.
Established in May 2023, CTF 154 is dedicated to enhancing maritime security through multinational training programmes across the Middle East and the wider region.
The training focuses on five core pillars: Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, and Leadership Development. According to the CMF website, each training opportunity is tailored to meet partner requests ranging from basic to advanced levels. CTF 154 conducts multinational maritime training at locations across the Middle East, enabling more CMF partner-nations to participate in training opportunities without ships or aircraft, particularly during courses that are facilitated ashore.
CTF 154’s core staff consists of members from Canada, Egypt, Jordan, Seychelles, Turkey, and the United States.
“The task force conducts regular Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) events, exercises like Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, and outreach to build partner nations’ operational capabilities against common threats such as illegal trafficking, piracy, and irregular migration,” it said.
CTF 154 operates alongside CMF’s other task forces: CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Maritime Security in Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Maritime Security in Red Sea).
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CMF, headquartered in Bahrain with US Naval Forces Central Command and US 5th Fleet, is the largest multinational naval partnership in the world, with 46 nations committed to upholding the international rules-based order at sea. It promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, encompassing some of the world’s most important shipping lanes.
