The navies of China, Russia, and Iran are concentrating in South African waters to take part in the Multinational Exercise Will for Peace 2026, a joint naval activity being conducted at the port of Simon’s Town, in Cape Town, alongside the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
The exercise, which began on January 9 and will run until January 16, brings together BRICS+ member countries and is led by China, with South Africa acting as the host nation, according to the South African Department of Defence.
Objectives of Exercise Will for Peace 2026
According to a statement from South Africa’s Department of Defence, the week of activities is designed as an intensive program of joint maritime security operations, interoperability exercises, and maritime protection maneuvers. Participating countries agreed that the exercise slogan would be “joint actions to ensure the safety of maritime transportation and maritime economic activities.”
“This theme reflects the collective commitment of all participating navies to safeguard maritime trade routes, enhance shared operational procedures, and deepen cooperation in support of peaceful maritime security initiatives,” the official South African statement noted.
Planned activities include counterterrorism rescue operations, maritime strike drills, professional technical exchanges, and ship visits, as reported by China’s Ministry of National Defense.
Participating Forces
China’s Ministry of National Defense detailed that the exercise is divided into two main phases. The first phase, conducted between January 9 and 12, includes port and shore-based activities such as the opening ceremony, ship tours, professional exchanges, and cultural and sporting events. The second phase, from January 13 to 15, takes place at sea and includes communications exercises, formation maneuvers, maritime strike drills, hostage rescue operations involving hijacked vessels, and medical evacuation by helicopter. The formal closing is scheduled for January 16, 2026.
China is participating with units from the 48th Naval Escort Task Force, including the destroyer CNS Tangshan (122) and the replenishment ship CNS Taihu (889), as well as an embarked helicopter and special operations personnel. These units departed from Qingdao on October 11 as part of anti-piracy escort missions in the Gulf of Aden.
The South African National Defence Force released images showing the arrival at Simon’s Town of the CNS Tangshan, CNS Taihu, and the Iranian ship IRIS Makran (441), alongside the South African frigate SAS Amatola (F145).
Local media also reported the presence of the Iranian corvette IRIS Naghdi (82) and the expeditionary base ship IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (L110-3) of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy. From Russia, the corvette RFS Stoikiy (545) and the logistics vessel Yelnya, both belonging to the Baltic Fleet, arrived after having departed in October 2025 bound for Africa. During their transit through European waters, both ships were monitored by NATO vessels, including the British patrol ship HMS Severn (P282).
It was also reported that the Bani Yas (P110) corvette of the United Arab Emirates Navy is taking part in the maneuvers.
Background of the Exercise
Exercise Will for Peace 2026 was originally planned as Mosi III, the third edition of the biennial naval exercise series organized by South Africa together with China and Russia. However, the activity was rescheduled and renamed because the original date coincided with the G20 summit held in South Africa in November 2025. It was ultimately decided to reframe the exercise under the BRICS Plus framework.
Additionally, it is worth recalling that the navies of China and Russia conducted combined exercises in 2023 with South Africa in February (Exercise MOSI II) and later in March of the same year with Iran in the Gulf of Oman (Exercise Security Belt 2023).
The BRICS group was originally composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and was later expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In this edition of the exercise, Brazil and India are not participating in the maneuvers.
Political Reactions in South Africa
The conduct of the exercise has generated domestic criticism. The Democratic Alliance party, a member of South Africa’s governing coalition, requested a full parliamentary briefing on the activity. The party questioned China’s leadership of the exercise and raised objections to the participation of Russia and Iran, countries subject to international sanctions and involved in ongoing conflicts.
“South Africa’s entry into BRICS was for purely economic purposes and not to challenge or undermine the rules-based international order through blatant and armed antagonism provoked by disloyal military exercises,” the party stated in an official release.
Images obtained from the South African National Defence Force and the Russian Embassy in South Africa.
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