The Indian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a key multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), the Defence Ministry said on Thursday.
The change of command ceremony was held on 11 February at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, and was presided over by VAdm Curt A. Renshaw, Commander, CMF / US NAVCENT / US Fifth Fleet.
According to the ministry, CTF 154 was established in May 2023 to build training and capacity among CMF member nations. The task force focuses on maritime domain awareness, the law of the sea, maritime interdiction operations, maritime rescue and assistance, and leadership development. It conducts Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) events and exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, while helping partner nations counter piracy, illegal trafficking, and irregular migration.
CTF 154 operates alongside other CMF task forces, including CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf), and CTF 153 (Red Sea).
The Indian Navy said it looks forward to a productive tenure, delivering high-impact training initiatives and reinforcing global maritime partnerships for peace, prosperity, and security.
