Indian Navy assumes command of Combined Task Force 154 under Combined Maritime Forces

Key facts

• Indian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154), a multinational training task force under Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), on 11 February at CMF headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.
• Commodore Milind M Mokashi of the Indian Navy, a Shaurya Chakra awardee, took over as Commander of CTF 154 from the outgoing Italian Navy commander.
• CTF 154, established in May 2023, focuses on training and capacity-building across five pillars: maritime domain awareness, law of the sea, maritime interdiction operations, maritime rescue and assistance, and leadership development.
• The task force conducts maritime security enhancement training events, exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, and outreach to counter threats like illegal trafficking, piracy, and irregular migration.
• CTF 154 operates alongside CMF task forces CTF 150 (maritime security), CTF 151 (counter-piracy), CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf maritime security), and CTF 153 (Red Sea maritime security).