- Why in news
- On 11 Feb 2026, at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, the Indian Navy took command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 for the first time. Cmde Milind Mokashi took over from the outgoing Italian Navy commander.
- What it is
- The Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a multinational naval partnership headquartered in Manama, Bahrain, and led by the US Navy's NAVCENT. It runs task forces for maritime security, counter-piracy and training. CTF 154 is its training and capacity-building task force.
- Role of CTF 154
- It trains and builds the capacity of CMF member nations.
- Set-up
- CTF 154 was established in May 2023.
- Training pillars
- The five pillars are Maritime Domain Awareness, Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, and Leadership Development.
- Other task forces
- CTF 150 covers maritime security, CTF 151 counter-piracy, CTF 152 the Arabian Gulf, and CTF 153 the Red Sea.
- Membership
- CMF has 47 member nations.
Don’t confuse with CMF vs. IFC-IOR: CMF is a US-led multinational naval partnership based in Bahrain. The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region is run by the Indian Navy in Gurugram and shares maritime information.
Defence: Prelims tests exercises (with whom), equipment (who makes it) and firsts.
Why it matters
- First Indian command of a CMF task force shows India's growing role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Leading a training task force helps India shape maritime norms and deepen ties with West Asian and other partners.
Problems
- Balancing engagement in a US-led grouping with India's strategic autonomy.
- West Asian maritime threats such as piracy and trafficking need sustained resources and coordination.
Way forward
- Use the command to build regional training links, and tie it to India's own initiatives such as SAGAR/MAHASAGAR and IFC-IOR.
- 2015Prelims Q67Statements on IOR-ARC's origins and whether it is security-only
- 2017Prelims Q68Statements on IONS inaugural chairmanship and navies' voluntary maritime cooperation
- 2026Prelims Q30Countries whose ships must cross Strait of Hormuz to Indian Ocean
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: First Indian command of a CMF task force; a lasting grouping, but UPSC has set only 8 defence Prelims questions, mostly on hardware.
Worth revising until Prelims 2027: most news questions come within two years of the event.