BRICS Plus Operation: China, Russia, Iran, South Africa Launch ‘Will For Peace 2026’ Joint Naval Exercise 

By: Israel Adeleke

OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports as gathered that China, Russia, Iran and South Africa on Saturday commence a week-long joint naval exercise in South African waters, an operation the host nation describes as a BRICS Plus initiative aimed at ensuring the safety of shipping routes and maritime economic activities.

OTN News further reports that the exercise, code-named “Will for Peace 2026,” is taking place under the framework of BRICS Plus, an expanded geopolitical grouping that builds on the original BRICS alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 

The bloc has recently widened its membership to include Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates, and is widely viewed by its members as a counterweight to U.S. and broader Western economic dominance.

South Africa’s military says the naval drills are designed to enhance cooperation among participating navies through joint maritime safety operations and interoperability exercises. 

In a statement, the South African National Defence Force noted that the exercise brings together forces from BRICS Plus countries to improve collective capabilities and information sharing.

Chinese military officials, who led the opening ceremony, confirm that Brazil, Egypt and Ethiopia are participating in the exercise as observers, while all BRICS Plus members were invited to take part.

Lieutenant Colonel Mpho Mathebula, acting spokesperson for South Africa’s joint operations, tells Reuters that the exercise is purely professional and inclusive.

“Exercise Will for Peace 2026 brings together navies from BRICS Plus countries for joint maritime safety operations and interoperability drills,” she says, adding that the invitation was extended to all member states.

The drills come at a time of heightened geopolitical tension between the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump and several BRICS Plus countries, including China, Iran, South Africa and Brazil. 

OTN News recalls that Trump has repeatedly accused BRICS nations of pursuing what he describes as “anti-American” policies and, in January, threatens to impose an additional 10 per cent trade tariff on all BRICS members, on top of existing duties already being applied to countries worldwide.

Although South Africa regularly conducts naval exercises with both China and Russia, the timing of the drills has drawn criticism at home. The Democratic Alliance (DA), a pro-Western party and the second-largest member of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s governing coalition, says the exercise undermines South Africa’s stated position of neutrality.

In a statement, the DA argues that participation in the drills “contradicts our stated neutrality” and claims that BRICS has “rendered South Africa a pawn in the power games being waged by rogue states on the international stage.”

Mathebula rejects the criticism, insisting that the exercise should not be viewed through a political lens. “This is not a political arrangement. There is no hostility towards the United States,” she says, pointing out that South Africa has also periodically conducted naval exercises with the U.S. Navy.

“It’s a naval exercise. The intention is for us to improve our capabilities and share information,” Mathebula adds.

The Will for Peace 2026 exercise is expected to continue throughout the week, with participating navies engaging in coordinated drills focused on maritime security, search-and-rescue operations and operational coordination in international waters.