India officially began working with the Bahrain-based multilateral alliance, Combined Maritime Forces, last month (CMF). Official sources state that the specifics of the nature of the partnership are still being worked out.
India expressed its intention to become an Associate Partner of the CMF during the India-US 2+2 in April of this year, which, according to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will strengthen collaboration in regional security in the Western Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy has participated in numerous international engagements as part of India’s expanding military diplomacy, the newest of which is joining the CMF.
The Indian Navy’s “Associate Support” to CMF was initiated at the end of July when Vice Adm. Sanjay Mahindru, the Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (DCNS), paid a visit to the CMF headquarters, according to the Navy. This visit was made in accordance with India’s commitment to the shared responsibility of maritime security in the Indian Ocean.
It will be a cooperative engagement based on the needs and requirements, and Associate membership has limited commitments to resources and personnel. The details of this are being worked out, according to an official source.
There is currently no deployment, but the Indian Navy may provide a warship if needed, the source stated.
According to officials, the Indian Navy has a liaison officer stationed at the US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Bahrain who will also serve as the point of contact for collaboration with the CMF.
34 member grouping
A multinational naval collaboration known as CMF works to advance security, stability, and prosperity over the roughly 3.2 million square miles of international waterways that include some of the busiest maritime channels on the planet.
The commander of the 34-nation coalition is a Vice Admiral in the U.S. Navy who simultaneously commands the Fifth Fleet of the United States and the U.S. Naval Forces, Central Command. At the Bahrain-based U.S. Naval Support Activity, all three commands are housed together. Pakistan is a full member of CMF and a neighbour to it.
It is made up of three task forces: CTF 152 (counter-piracy), CTF 151 (maritime security and counterterrorism), and CTF 150. (Arabian Gulf security and cooperation).
The CMF is a fluid organisation, and its members are not constrained by a political or military mandate, according to the organization’s website. The statement read, “Contributions can range from the availability of a liaison officer at CMF Headquarters in Bahrain to the supply of battleships or support vessels in task forces, and maritime reconnaissance aircraft based on land.
According to the website’s description, we can also request associated support from warships that aren’t specifically assigned to the CMF. This support is something that ships can do if they have the time and resources while carrying out other national tasks.
India has previously worked with CMF on numerous times within this framework. For instance, the CMF’s CTF 151 has cooperated with Chinese and Indian warships stationed in the Maritime Security Transit Corridor to patrol the area.
