Indian Navy Takes Command of Key Multinational Maritime Forces in Bahrain

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Team Bharatshakti
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CMF
Commodore Milind Mokashi addressing the gathering after taken command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain

In a first for India, the Indian Navy has taken command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, becoming the first Indian contingent to lead a multinational task force under the Bahrain-headquartered Combined Maritime Forces (CMF). The development signals India’s shift from participant to leader within one of the world’s largest maritime security coalitions.

CTF 154 serves as CMF’s dedicated training and capacity-building arm. Unlike other task forces that deploy ships for patrol, interdiction or counter-piracy missions, CTF 154 focuses on professional training. Its mandate includes classroom instruction, scenario-based exercises and practical drills designed to improve coordination and standards among partner navies and coast guards.

India’s appointment places it at the centre of multinational maritime training efforts that stretch across vital sea lanes linking the Gulf and the wider Indian Ocean, waterways that carry a significant share of global trade and energy supplies.

At a ceremony at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, Commodore Milind Mokashi assumed command from Italy’s Commodore Andrea Bielli. The transition took place in the presence of senior CMF leadership, with Vice Admiral Curt Renshaw, Commander of CMF, US NAVCENT/US Fifth Fleet, and VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS), Indian Navy, overseeing the handover.

During Italy’s tenure, CTF 154 expanded its training outreach. It conducted multiple shore-based engagements and key leader interactions across the region. The largest edition of Exercise Compass Rose brought together nearly 140 maritime professionals from 22 nations, underlining the task force’s growing profile.

Created in May 2023, CTF 154 structures its training around five core areas: maritime domain awareness, maritime law, interdiction operations, search and rescue, and leadership development. Countries are not required to deploy ships to participate, making the platform accessible to smaller navies and coast guards.

For New Delhi, the command reflects a steady expansion of its role within CMF. India joined the grouping as an Associate Partner in 2022 and later became a full member. Taking charge of a task force now adds operational responsibility within the 46-nation coalition.

Officials say the Indian Ocean’s centrality to India’s trade and energy flows makes deeper engagement in maritime security frameworks a strategic necessity. Leading CTF 154 offers an opportunity to shape training standards and enhance interoperability among regional forces.

Sources familiar with planning discussions indicate that India’s tenure is likely to stress practical interoperability drills and wider engagement with Indian Ocean littoral states. Greater coordination on information-sharing related to suspicious maritime activity is also expected.

Maritime Domain Awareness is set to receive particular attention. India operates the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), which exchanges white-shipping data and maritime alerts with partner countries. Closer alignment between IFC-IOR mechanisms and CTF 154’s training modules could feature during the Indian command.

The task force will continue to focus on counter-piracy readiness, boarding procedures, search-and-rescue coordination, and safety-of-life-at-sea practices. Damage-control training and professional development remain part of its regular programme.

The CMF oversees five task forces. CTF 150 handles maritime security in the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. CTF 151 leads counter-piracy missions. CTF 152 operates in the Arabian Gulf, while CTF 153 covers the Red Sea. CTF 154 is the only formation dedicated primarily to training and capacity building.

India will set the agenda for the task force’s engagements in the coming months. The appointment comes at a time when regional navies are seeking closer coordination to address piracy, trafficking and other non-traditional maritime threats.

Team BharatShakti

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