India clarifies absence from South Africa-led BRICS naval exercise

Source: The Tribune | Original Published At: 2026-01-17 10:25:43 UTC

Key Points

• India skipped a South Africa-led naval exercise involving some BRICS members, clarifying it was not an institutional BRICS activity.
• The exercise included China, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, but not all BRICS nations participated.
• MEA spokesperson emphasized India's participation in the trilateral IBSAMAR exercise with Brazil and South Africa instead of the disputed drill.
• India currently holds the BRICS chairmanship, with the group expanding to include new members in 2024-2025.
• The clarification highlights distinctions between official BRICS mechanisms and other multilateral initiatives led by individual member states.