KEY POINTS
- China, Russia, Iran and South Africa launch BRICS Plus naval drills off South Africa’s coast.
- The exercises aim to improve maritime security and protect shipping lanes.
- South Africa said the drills are apolitical and focused on cooperation and maritime safety.
- Warships from China, Russia, Iran and South Africa are participating, with observers from Brazil, Egypt and Ethiopia.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa: China, Russia, Iran and South Africa on Saturday launched week-long joint naval exercises in South African waters, describing the drills as part of a “BRICS Plus” effort to improve maritime security and protect shipping lanes.
The drills, officially titled Exercise WILL FOR PEACE 2026, are being conducted off the coast near Cape Town and South Africa’s main naval base at Simon’s Town.
South African authorities said the exercises aim to ensure the safety of shipping and maritime economic activities.
Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Mathebula, acting spokesperson for South Africa’s joint operations, said the drills were apolitical.
“There is no hostility towards any country,” he said, adding that the focus was on cooperation and maritime safety.
Expanded BRICS participation
BRICS was originally formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The bloc has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, and is viewed by its member states as a counterweight to Western economic dominance.
According to Reuters, the exercises bring together navies from the expanded BRICS grouping for joint safety operations and interoperability training.
Observers from Brazil, Egypt and Ethiopia attended the opening ceremony, highlighting the bloc’s growing international engagement.
South Africa said other BRICS members may also be involved, but a spokesperson for the armed forces said it was not yet possible to confirm the full list of participating countries. The drills are scheduled to run until next Friday.
Warships and deployments
Chinese, Russian and Iranian warships were seen entering and leaving Simon’s Town harbour. China deployed the Tangshan, a 161-metre destroyer-class vessel.
Russia’s Baltic Fleet said it sent the Stoikiy, a corvette-sized warship, along with a replenishment tanker.
Iran and China each deployed destroyer warships, while South Africa contributed a frigate. The United Arab Emirates sent a corvette, and Indonesia, Ethiopia and Brazil joined as observers.
China, Russia and South Africa are long-standing BRICS members. Iran joined the bloc in 2024.
Geopolitical backdrop
The drills are taking place amid heightened geopolitical tensions. They follow the recent seizure by the United States of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic.
Washington claimed the tanker was carrying crude bound for Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of Western sanctions.
The seizure came days after a US operation in Caracas that toppled Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro.
Captain Nndwakhulu Thomas Thamaha, South Africa’s joint taskforce commander, said the exercises were more than a show of force.
“It is a demonstration of our collective resolve to work together,” he said at the opening ceremony. “In an increasingly complex maritime environment, cooperation such as this is not an option, it is essential.”
South African defence officials said the exercises include maritime safety and anti-piracy operations and are intended to deepen cooperation among participating navies.
US President Donald Trump has accused South Africa and the BRICS bloc of pursuing “anti-American” policies and has warned members they could face an additional 10 percent tariff on top of existing global duties.
