India skips South Africa-led naval exercise as it’s not ‘institutionalised’ BRICS activity
Cooperation areas
Source: Moneycontrol | Original Published At: 2026-01-18 03:19:12 UTC
Key Points
- India declined participation in a South Africa-organized naval exercise involving China, Russia, Iran, and other BRICS members, stating it was not an institutional BRICS activity
- MEA spokesperson emphasized India's participation in the separate IBSAMAR trilateral maritime exercise with Brazil and South Africa
- Exercise occurred amid regional tensions and BRICS' recent expansion to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia
- India currently holds BRICS chairmanship, with the grouping representing 49.5% of global population and 26% of global trade