In a significant milestone highlighting India’s growing role in maritime security cooperation, the Indian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 for the first time. CTF 154 is a multinational training task force operating under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).

The change-of-command ceremony took place on February 11, 2026, at the CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain. The event was presided over by Vice Admiral Curt A. Renshaw, Commander of CMF, US NAVCENT, and the US Fifth Fleet. Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, along with senior military representatives from member nations, attended the ceremony. Commodore Milind M. Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra, formally took charge as Commander of CTF 154 from his Italian Navy counterpart.

Established in May 2023, CTF 154 focuses on training and capacity building among CMF’s 47 member nations. Its mandate is to strengthen maritime security through multinational training initiatives across the Middle East and surrounding regions.

The task force’s training framework is built around five key pillars: Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, and Leadership Development. It regularly conducts Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) activities and exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern and Southern Readiness to enhance operational preparedness against threats including piracy, illegal trafficking, and irregular migration.

CTF 154 works alongside other CMF task forces — CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf Maritime Security), and CTF 153 (Red Sea Maritime Security).

With this leadership role, the Indian Navy aims to further strengthen international maritime partnerships and promote peace, security, and stability in the region and beyond.