Indian Navy Ends First-Ever Command of Combined Maritime Forces Task Force 154 at Bahrain Ceremony

Key facts

• The Indian Navy relinquished Command of Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) at a ceremony in Manama, Bahrain, on 14 October 2026, completing its maiden command of a CMF Task Force.
• The Indian Navy had assumed Command of CTF 154 on 11 February 2026, becoming the first Indian Navy contingent to lead a CMF Task Force, with Commodore Milind M Mokashi handing over to Commander Melissa Desjardins.
• CTF 154, established in May 2023, is CMF's dedicated multinational maritime training Task Force for enhancing professional competencies, interoperability and capacity development among Partner Nations.
• During the tenure, the Indian Navy-led CTF 154 conducted 20 Staff Enhancement Training engagements, two major multinational training exercises and the inaugural Subject Matter Expert Exchange on Piracy and Armed Robbery (SPAR 2026), generating over 7,800 training hours with personnel from 39 countries.
• Operation Compass Rose 26-1, held virtually from 20 to 22 April 2026, brought together 137 participants, 11 observers and 21 facilitators from 25 Partner Nations and 13 organisations.
• Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, held at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, from 20 to 23 July 2026, was the first major CMF training exercise hosted by India, with 276 personnel from 27 countries and about 3,800 training hours.
• SPAR 2026, conducted on 5 and 6 October 2026, brought together 135 participants from 25 countries with contributions from 19 organisations.
• The tenure saw the first dedicated 'Training of Trainers' engagement within the CMF training framework and CMF's first professional engagement with a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
• India joined the Combined Maritime Forces as an Associate Partner in 2022 and became a full member in 2023.