India hosts maiden Op Southern Readiness in Kochi, 26 nations join maritime exercise

The exercise brought together 254 participants from 26 countriesNEW DELHI: A four-day multinational maritime security training engagement, Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, commenced at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi on Monday. Hosted by the Indian Navy’s Southern Naval Command, the engagement is being conducted under the aegis of the Navy-led Combined Task Force 154 (CTF 154), in partnership with Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), and has brought together 254 participants from 26 countries, supported by 74 facilitators and four international organisations, and Subject Matter Experts.The exercise marks the maiden conduct of Operation Southern Readiness in India and represents an important milestone in the growing engagement between the Indian Navy and CMF.CTF 154, CMF's dedicated Traini