Kochi, July 21 -- Operation Southern Readiness 26-2, a four-day multinational maritime security training engagement, commenced at Southern Naval Command in Keralam's Kochi.

The event was hosted on 20 July by the Southern Naval Command. The engagement is being conducted under the aegis of the Indian 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 ded...