KOCHI, India. Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), in partnership with Indian Southern Naval Command, hosted Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, a four-day multinational training exercise which brought together more than 270 maritime professionals from 27 nations, in Kochi, India, from July 20-23.

Indian-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154) designed theexercise to improve cooperation, interoperability and maritime security.

“Maritime security today demands cooperation, information sharing, interoperability and mutual trust,” said Indian Navy Rear Adm. Deepak Singhal, chief staff officer (training),Indian Southern Naval Command. “The challenges we face are shared challenges, and therefore they require shared solutions.”

The exercise was supported by 76 facilitators and subject matter experts from four international organizations, whocombined classroom discussions, simulator based training and practical activities at sea, to generate more than 3,800 training man hours.

Throughout the exercise, participants received training in topics such as maritime law, counter narcotics operations, maritime domain awareness, force protection and the use of maritime uncrewed systems. Practical activities included damage control and firefighting training, survival at sea, maritime communications, boarding procedures and training while embarked on an Indian naval vessel. The trainingenabled personnel from a wide range of nations and organizations to learn from each other and build relationships to support security across vital international shipping routes.

“Exercises such as Operation Southern Readiness are so important. They create an environment where participants can exchange knowledge, learn from different approaches and develop relationships based on trust and mutual respect,” said Commodore Dan Thomas, deputy commander, Combined Maritime Forces.

The successful completion of Operation Southern Readiness 26-2 highlights the value of multinational cooperation in maintaining maritime security. By bringing nations and organizations together to train, share expertise and develop common understanding, exercises like this strengthen regional stability and support the safe flow of international trade across the Indian Ocean and beyond.

CTF 154 is CMF’s dedicated training task force. Established to strengthen maritime security through training and capacity building, CTF 154 delivers professional development opportunities and multinational training engagements designed to enhance interoperability, readiness and cooperation among CMF partner nations.

CMF, headquartered in Bahrain alongside U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet, is the world’s largest multinational naval partnership. Comprising 47 nations, CMF promotes security, stability and prosperity across approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, supporting the rules-based international order and safeguarding global maritime commerce.