The Indian Navy, along with Japan and Indonesia, conducted a trilateral exercise in the Andaman Sea on Friday (February 13).
The objective of the exercise was to improve joint operational readiness, improve interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation for a secure and stable region.
In a post on X, an Indian Navy spokesperson shared, “Ships from the navies of India, Japan and Indonesia conducted 26 trilateral exercises in the Andaman Sea on February 13, enhancing combined operational readiness, interoperability and strengthening maritime cooperation towards a safe, secure and stable region.
Earlier on Thursday, the Indian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, a key multinational training task force under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
According to a press release, the change of command ceremony took place on February 11 at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain and was presided over by VAdm Curt A Renshaw, Commander, CMF / US NAVCEN / US Fifth Fleet.
VAdm Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS), Indian Navy and senior military leaders from other member nations were present. Cmde Milind M Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra, of the Indian Navy, has formally taken over as the Commander of CTF 154 from the outgoing Commander of the Italian Navy.
According to the release, CTF 154 is specifically focused on training and capacity building for CMF member countries. It reflects the region’s growing confidence in India’s expertise, operational experience and role as the preferred security partner among the 47 CMF nations. Established in May 2023, CTF 154 is dedicated to enhancing maritime security through multinational training programs in the Middle East and the wider region.
The task force conducts regular Maritime Security Enhancement Training (MSET) events, exercises such as Compass Rose and Northern/Southern Readiness, and builds partner nations’ operational capabilities to address common threats, including illicit trafficking, piracy and irregular migration, according to the report.
CTF 154 operates jointly with other CMF task forces: CTF 150 (Maritime Security), CTF 151 (Counter-Piracy), CTF 152 (Maritime Security in the Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Maritime Security in the Red Sea).