Combined Maritime Forces

Source– This post on Combined Maritime Forces is based on the article “Indian Navy seizes 940kg drugs in Arabian Sea in 1st interdiction as CMF Member” published in “Hindustan Times” on 17th April 2024.

Why in the News?

INS Talwar of the Indian Navy seized 940 kg of drugs in the Arabian Sea as part of an operation led by Combined Maritime Forces.

About Combined Maritime Forces

1. Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) is a multinational maritime partnership that upholds the Rules-Based International Order (RBIO) by countering illicit non-state actors on the high seas.

2. It covers approximately 3.2 million square miles of international waters, including some of the world’s most crucial shipping lanes.

3. Headquarter: It is co-located with US Naval Central Command and US Navy Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.

4. Purpose: CMF aims to promote security, stability, and prosperity across its vast maritime domain.

5. Members: CMF has 42 member and partner nations.

a) Member Nations: Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen.

b) Partner Nations: Djibouti, Oman and Sri Lanka.

6. Participation is voluntary with no compulsory duties imposed on any member nation. Furthermore, countries are not obligated by any political or military commitments.

7. It is comprised of five task forces: Maritime Security Operations outside the Arabian Gulf, Counter-Piracy, Maritime Security Operations inside the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea Maritime Security, Maritime Security Training

8. Focus Areas: It has following focus areas:

a) Counter-Narcotics: CMF actively combats drug trafficking at sea.

b) Counter-Smuggling: It works to prevent illicit smuggling activities.

c) Piracy Suppression: CMF contributes to anti-piracy efforts.

d) Regional Cooperation: The partnership engages with regional and other stakeholders to enhance overall security and stability.

e) Environmental and Humanitarian Response: When needed, CMF assets respond to environmental and humanitarian incidents.

9. CMF is Commanded by a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, who also serves as Commander US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) and US Navy Fifth Fleet.

CMF’s Deputy Commander is a United Kingdom Royal Navy Commodore.

UPSC Syllabus: Miscellaneous