‘Will for Peace’ drills: Brics tests the waters of military cooperation

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Maria SiowJanuary 17, 2026 at 05:00 AM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

The "Will for Peace 2024" naval exercise, involving China, Russia, and the UAE, took place off the coast of South Africa from January 9-16. South Africa, the host nation, described the drills as a routine maritime safety operation to improve coordination in protecting shipping routes. The exercise, with Brazil, Egypt, and Ethiopia participating as observers, has sparked debate about the evolving purpose of BRICS. Some analysts believe the maneuvers signal a move towards military cooperation within the BRICS framework, testing the bloc's potential to expand its influence into security. India notably did not participate in the exercise. BRICS, initially focused on economic cooperation, has recently shifted towards reforming global governance to reflect a multipolar world order.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

India ×250% Brazil ×250% Egypt ×250% Ethiopia ×250% United States 50% Iran ×260% United Arab Emirates 60% Russia 70% China ×270% Will for Peace 2026 70% South Africa ×280% BRICS ×690%

Keywords

brics 100% military cooperation 90% naval exercise 80% south africa 70% global order 60% china 50% maritime trade 50% multipolar world 40% security realm 40%