Through its recent fifth assessment report, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) provides up-to-date scientific knowledge and socio-economic aspects of global climate change, mostly based on observational data and CMIP5 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) global models. This study evaluates the upper ocean processes in the Indian Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere simulated by 19 CMIP5 models by comparing their historical run simulation with observed climatology. We found that, although significant progresses have been achieved through CMIP projects, there are still considerable common biases in simulation of the upper ocean in the northern Inian Ocean. For example, most of the analyzed CMIP5 models tend to have a cold bias in the sea surface temperature (SST), a fresh bias in the sea surface salinity, and a deep bias in the winter mixed layer depth (MLD). More importantly, the cold SST bias and deep bias in the winter MLD seem to be related with a strong wind bias, suggesting importance of proper wind representation for realistic upper ocean simulation in the northern Indian Ocean. Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5) global models. This study evaluates the upper ocean processes in the Indian Ocean in the Northern Hemisphere simulated by 19 CMIP5 models by comparing their historical run simulation with observed climatology. We found that, although significant progresses have been achieved through CMIP projects, there are still considerable common biases in simulation of the upper ocean in the northern Indian Ocean. For example, most of the analyzed CMIP5 models tend to have a cold bias in the sea surface temperature (SST), a fresh bias in the sea surface salinity, and a deep bias in the winter mixed layer depth (MLD). More importantly, the cold SST bias and deep bias in the winter MLD seem to be related with a strong wind bias, suggesting importance of proper wind representation for realistic upper ocean simulation in the northern Indian Ocean.