Aljazeera published on 23 January 2026 an article titled "Why Is South Africa Upset about Iran Joining BRICS Naval Drills?" by Shola Lawal.
A BRICS naval exercise in South Africa that included 3 warships from Iran as its government crushed protestors at home sparked a sharp rebuke from the United States, prompted internal debates in South Africa, and caused India to point out that BRICS was not established to host war games.
Armada International posted on 20 January 2026 an article titled "China and Russia in BRICS Naval Exercise Hosted by South Africa -- Iran Drops Out" by David Oliver.
South Africa hosted from 9 to 16 January a naval exercise for BRICS member states. China and Russia sent warships that participated. Iran sent three ships but was asked to drop out after their arrival. The UAE sent a naval vessel that did not participate. Brazil and India chose not to send ships.
The ships that participated conducted drills on communication, formation maneuver, maritime strike, hijacked vessel rescue, helicopter-borne casualty transfer and treatment.
Comment: If one of the goals of the BRICS is to create a military alliance, this event did not offer a good omen.
The Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies published on 16 January 2026 a policy brief titled "South Africa Eyes Confrontation with Trump over Growing Ties to China, Russia, Iran" by Max Meizlish and Daniel Swift.
South Africa's ANC-led government is testing the limits of cordial relations with the Trump administration by strengthening its ties with China, Russia, and Iran.
Newsweek published on 16 January 2026 an article titled "US Issues Strong Statement on China-led Naval Drills with Iran" by Micah McCartney.
Three Iranian warships--a corvette and two converted tankers--arrived in South Africa for the BRICS' naval exercise involving ships from South Africa, China, Russia, and the UAE.
The US embassy in Pretoria issued a statement that "it is particularly unconscionable that South Africa welcomed Iranian security forces as they were shooting, jailing, and torturing Iranian citizens engaging in peaceful political activity South Africans fought so hard to gain for themselves."
The South African government apparently asked the Iranians to keep the ships in the harbor and only participate in the naval exercise as observers.
The Daily Maverick published on 12 January 2026 an article titled "Iran Pulls Out of SA's Joint Naval Exercise Amid Political Tensions" by Peter Fabricius.
Three Iranian naval vessels joined warships from South Africa, China, Russia, and the UAE in Simon's Town, South Africa, to participate in a weeklong BRICS' naval exercise. The Iranian vessels will not, however, join the others as the exercise gets underway. Pretoria reportedly urged Iran to withdraw from the exercise to avoid antagonizing the United States.
Aljazeera published on 11 January 2026 an article titled "BRICS Wargames: Why They Matter, Why India Opted Out" by Yasraj Sharma.
Weeklong naval drills involving BRICS' members China, Russia, Iran, and the UAE opened in the waters off South Africa. China and Iran sent destroyers, Russia and the UAE sent corvettes, and South Africa deployed a mid-sized frigate. Brazil, Egypt, Indonesia, and Ethiopia joined the drills as observers. India chose not to participate. The Trump administration accused some BRICS members of pursuing anti-American policies.
Defence Web published on 30 December 2025 an article titled "Multinational Naval Exercise between SA, Iran, China, and Russia Scheduled for January" by Guy Martin.
South Africa will host a naval exercise between 9 and 16 January for naval vessels from China, Russia, and Iran. The exercise will include joint maritime safety operations, interoperability drills, and maritime protection serials. This is the first time Iran will be included in the exercise. As South Africa increases its military contacts with these three countries, it is reducing them with the United States.
The Associated Press published on 4 September 2025 an article titled "South Africa Asks China to Postpone Naval Exercises that Coincide with Possible Trump Trip for G20" by Gerald Imray.
South Africa, China, and Russia had planned to hold their biennial joint naval exercise in late November. South Africa asked China to postpone the exercise because it coincides with the 22-23 November meeting in South Africa of the G-20, which President Trump may attend.
Pravda published on 2 September 2025 an article titled "South Africa to Hold Joint Naval Drills with Russia and China During G20 Summit" by Anton Kulikov.
The South African National Defence Force will conduct the third stage of the MOSI joint naval exercise with Russia and China in November this year to coincide with the G-20 summit hosted by South Africa.
Iglobalnews.com posted on 14 April 2025 an article titled "Indian Navy Conducts Historic Joint Exercise in Africa."
Three Indian naval vessels joined four from Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on 13 April as part of a two-phase joint exercise that includes participants from Comoros, Djibouti, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, and South Africa. Phase one includes table-top and command post exercises in Dar es Salaam focused on anti-piracy and information building. The sea phase will focus on strengthening maritime security cooperation. Officers and sailors from the 10 countries will spend 35 days together on one of the Indian ships to learn each other's best practices.
Comment: The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, earlier told the Polish Press Agency that "these maneuvers aim to counter China's growing influence in the region."
The Foreign Policy Research Institute published on 13 April 2023 a commentary titled "South Africa's Naval Exercise with China and Russia: Cause for Concern?" by Charles A. Ray.
The US expressed "concern" over the February 2023 trilateral naval exercise involving South Africa, China, and Russia. The author concluded that once the exercise is replaced in the news by the next crisis, the US will resume business as usual with South Africa.
India's Observer Research Foundation published on 26 February 2023 a commentary titled "How Will Russia-Africa Ties Look in 2023?" by Abhishek Mishra.
Africa is not a political monolith; on matters of peace and security there are divergent views. There are practical reasons such as arms sales why Russia attracts more support from Africans than does Ukraine. The war in Ukraine is a sensitive issue, which Africans prefer to distance themselves from.
The New Atlanticist published on 28 February 2023 an analysis titled "What We Learned from the Russia-China-South Africa Military Drills" by Atlantic Council experts.
The February naval exercise off South Africa enabled South Africa to demonstrate its independent foreign policy, Russia to highlight its continued relations with nations of the Global South, and China to demonstrate the increasing global reach of its navy.
European Security & Defence published on 3 March 2023 an article titled "'Mosi II' Naval Exercise Concluded, But Ramifications Continue" by Hans Uwe Mergener.
South African, Russian, and Chinese navies held a joint exercise off Cape Town that ended on 27 February. South Africa deployed only a single frigate, giving some indication of the South African Navy's current operational capability. The exercise demonstrated that Western efforts to isolate Russia are not resonating in the Global South. It was also an indication of China's growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean that may impact the strategic balance in Africa.
Reuters posted on 27 February 2023 a one minute video titled "Russia, China, and S. Africa End War Games." It provides video coverage of the controversial naval exercise off South Africa.
The South China Morning Post published on 26 February 2023 an article titled "How Ukraine War Has Turned Africa into a Geopolitical Battleground for China, Russia and US" by Jevans Nyabiage.
Tension between China and Russia on the one side and the United States and West generally on the other is playing out in Africa because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The Daily Maverick published on 23 February 2023 an article titled "Media Laugh Off Request by SANDF Commander to Put Positive Spin on Mosi II Naval Exercise" by Des Erasmus.
At a press briefing, the commander of the South African National Defense Forces (SANDF) asked journalists to comment positively about the South African/Russian/Chinese naval exercise underway in the waters off South Africa on the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some of the media responded with laughs of disapproval as South Africa struggles to maintain its neutrality over the war.
Reuters published on 16 February 2023 an article titled "South Africa's Naval Exercise with Russia, China Raises Western Alarm" by Carien du Plessis.
As the South African naval exercise approaches with ships from Russia and China on the eve of the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there are growing expressions of concern from Western countries and speculation this could damage Pretoria's trade relations with them.
Defence Web published on 7 February 2023 an article titled "SANDF Declined Exercises with US, but Proceeding with Russia and China" by Guy Martin.
Later this month the South African National Defense Force (SANDF) will participate in a naval exercise with Russian and Chinese ships on the one year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The United States has recently invited the SANDF to participate in naval exercises in both West and East Africa, but it reportedly has shown no interest.
The South African Institute of International Affairs posted on 30 January 2023 a commentary titled "SA Adamant It Is Agnostic on Russia-Ukraine War But Its Behaviour Reveals Otherwise" by Steven Gruzd.
South Africa's declaration of neutrality on Russia's invasion of Ukraine is wearing thin and its upcoming participation in a naval exercise off South Africa with Russia and China on the first anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine sends the wrong signal.
