Indian Navy assumes command of Combined Task Force 154 for the first time
The Indian Navy took command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154 of the Combined Maritime Forces for the first time at a ceremony in Manama, Bahrain, on 11 February 2026.
Summary
The Indian Navy assumed command of Combined Task Force (CTF) 154, the multinational training task force of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), for the first time on 11 February 2026. The change of command ceremony at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, was presided over by Vice Admiral Curt A. Renshaw, Commander CMF / US NAVCENT / US Fifth Fleet, with Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, in attendance. Commodore Milind M. Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra, took over from the outgoing commander from the Italian Navy. CTF 154, established in May 2023, runs training for CMF's 47 member nations on five pillars: Maritime Domain Awareness, Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction Operations, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, and Leadership Development. CMF's other task forces are CTF 150 (maritime security), CTF 151 (counter-piracy), CTF 152 (Arabian Gulf) and CTF 153 (Red Sea).
Key facts
- Date and place
- 11 February 2026, CMF Headquarters, Manama, Bahrain
- New commander
- Cmde Milind M. Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra (took over from Italian Navy)
- CTF 154
- Training and capacity-building task force, set up May 2023
- CMF members
- 47 nations
- Five training pillars
- MDA, Law of the Sea, Maritime Interdiction, Maritime Rescue and Assistance, Leadership Development
- Other CMF task forces
- CTF 150 maritime security, 151 counter-piracy, 152 Arabian Gulf, 153 Red Sea
Practice MCQs 5 questions
On 11 February 2026, the Indian Navy assumed command of which Combined Task Force of the Combined Maritime Forces for the first time?
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Correct answer: B — CTF 154
The Indian Navy took over CTF 154, the CMF's training and capacity-building task force, at Manama on 11 February 2026.
Where is the headquarters of the Combined Maritime Forces, where the CTF 154 change of command was held?
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Correct answer: B — Manama, Bahrain
The change of command ceremony took place at CMF Headquarters in Manama, Bahrain.
Who took over as Commander CTF 154 from the outgoing Italian Navy commander on 11 February 2026?
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Correct answer: D — Commodore Milind M. Mokashi
Commodore Milind M. Mokashi, Shaurya Chakra, took over; Vice Admiral Renshaw presided and Vice Admiral Sobti attended.
Consider the following about the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF): 1. CTF 151 is the CMF task force dedicated to counter-piracy. 2. CTF 154, the training task force, was established in May 2023. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both are correct: CTF 151 handles counter-piracy, and CTF 154 was established in May 2023 for multinational training.
Consider the following about CTF 154: 1. Its training pillars include Law of the Sea and Maritime Domain Awareness. 2. The CMF, under which it operates, has 32 member nations. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: A — 1 only
Only 1 is correct. The five pillars include Law of the Sea and Maritime Domain Awareness; the CMF has 47 member nations, not 32.