Indian Navy to Host Multinational Maritime Exercise with 25 Nations in Kochi
The Indian Navy will host Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, a four-day multinational maritime security training engagement, at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi from July 20 to 23. The exercise brings together personnel from around 25 countries in partnership with the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF).
The exercise will be conducted under the aegis of the Navy-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154), the CMF’s dedicated Training Task Force. Participating nations include Australia, Canada, Japan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Djibouti, Seychelles, the United States and the United Kingdom, among others.
Designed to strengthen maritime cooperation and interoperability, the programme will provide professional maritime security training, practical exposure and an exchange of best practices among personnel from CMF partner nations, according to a statement from the Indian Navy.
The engagement underscores the Navy’s growing role in regional capacity building through its association with the CMF, a multinational maritime partnership comprising over 40 nations. The training will combine classroom instruction, simulator-based modules and practical exercises. Key subjects include maritime law, maritime domain awareness and information sharing, counter-narcotics operations, force protection, asymmetric threats and maritime uncrewed systems.
Participants will also undergo hands-on training in damage control and firefighting, maritime communications, survival at sea, boarding procedures and embarking on an Indian naval ship for practical training. The Navy said the exercise will showcase the Southern Naval Command’s modern training infrastructure, advanced simulators and professional instructional capabilities.
By integrating theoretical learning with practical application, the programme aims to enhance professional understanding, interoperability and cooperation among participating navies.
