South Africa to host BRICS naval exercise amid strained relationship with the US
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South Africa Hosts China-Led BRICS Naval Drills
Do BRICS naval drills reinforce South Africa’s non-aligned security role, or undermine it by tying the country to an anti-Western military bloc?
Above: Chinese naval officers onboard the Chinese frigate Rizhao 598, ahead of naval drills between Russia, South Africa and China, in Richards Bay, South Africa, on Feb. 22, 2023. Image credit: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-government narrative
Joint naval exercises among BRICS Plus serve a practical security function by protecting vital maritime trade routes from piracy and terrorism. South Africa is well advised to host and participate in these drills, as they consolidate its role as a credible maritime security actor and a convening power in the Global South. Focused on non-traditional threats, the exercises offer inclusive cooperation across unequal navies while advancing a fairer, less confrontational maritime order.
Government-critical narrative
BRICS naval drills signal a dangerous shift from economic coordination to military alignment, institutionalizing anti-Western security cooperation led by China, Russia and Iran. By hosting them, South Africa abandons non-alignment and risks becoming a pawn in authoritarian power politics. The drills help normalize China’s global naval reach and legitimize Iran's confrontation with the United States, creating a rival security pole that deepens global polarization.
Metaculus Prediction
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Establishment split
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© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 6.18.0
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 6.18.0