China, Russia and Iran have begun a weeklong series of joint naval exercises in South African waters, marking the latest iteration of cooperation among members of the expanded BRICS Plus grouping.
The drills, hosted by South Africa and starting on Saturday, come as global maritime tensions and diplomatic strains between the United States and several BRICS Plus countries continue to intensify.
South African officials said the exercises were designed to strengthen coordination at sea rather than signal political alignment against any country.
The operation, titled Exercise WILL FOR PEACE 2026, is being conducted off South Africa’s coast and includes participating navies as well as observer states from within the BRICS Plus bloc.
South Africa’s military described the drills as aimed to "ensure the safety of shipping and maritime economic activities".
According to an official statement, "Exercise WILL FOR PEACE 2026 brings together navies from BRICS Plus countries for ... joint maritime safety operations (and) interoperability drills,".
China, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates deployed naval vessels, while Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia and others joined as observers.
Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Mathebula, acting spokesperson for joint operations, said all BRICS Plus members had been invited to participate.
South Africa has previously conducted similar exercises with China and Russia, including joint drills dating back to 2019.
The exercises are taking place amid heightened tensions between U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and several BRICS Plus members, including China, Iran, South Africa and Brazil.
Washington has accused the bloc of pursuing anti-American policies and warned of additional trade tariffs on member states.
South Africa has faced criticism domestically and abroad for its growing military cooperation with Russia and China.
The pro-Western Democratic Alliance said the drills contradicted South Africa’s stated neutrality and risked entangling the country in global power struggles.
Mathebula rejected that criticism, stating, "This is not a political arrangement ... there is no hostility (towards the U.S.),".
"It's a naval exercise. The intention is for us to improve our capabilities and share information," she said.
Officials also said the drills were planned well in advance and defended them as essential to protecting key shipping lanes in the Indian and Atlantic oceans.