BRICS drills ‘essential’ amid maritime tensions – South Africa

The ‘Will for Peace 2026’ naval exercises started off the coast of Cape Town on Saturday

South Africa considers joint drills with its BRICS allies – Russia, China and Iran – an absolute necessity given the current tensions on high seas, a top commander has said.

The ‘Will for Peace 2026’ exercises started off the coast of Cape Town on Saturday, just days after US forces seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker over claims it had breached Washington’s sanctions against Venezuela.