India Opts Out of South Africa’s BRICS Naval Wargame

Source: Devdiscourse | Original Published At: 2026-01-17 10:16:36 UTC

Key Points

• India abstained from a South Africa-organized naval exercise with BRICS members China, Russia, and others, calling it non-institutional under BRICS.
• The exercise occurred amid rising tensions in Iran, which hosted participating naval forces.
• India emphasized its continued participation in the trilateral IBSAMAR maritime exercise with Brazil and South Africa.
• India's Ministry of External Affairs clarified the decision did not reflect opposition to BRICS cooperation mechanisms.