South Africa will host a major multinational naval exercise in early January, bringing together warships from China, Russia and Iran in what the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) says is a maritime security and cooperation initiative.
The exercise, now titled Will for Peace 2026, will take place in South African waters from 9 to 16 January. It was previously known as Exercise Mosi III but has been renamed following the expansion of the BRICS grouping to include Iran. The SANDF confirmed the change in a statement issued on 30 December.
According to the SANDF, the exercise will be led by China and will involve navies from BRICS Plus countries. It will focus on joint maritime safety operations, interoperability drills and the protection of shipping and maritime economic activities.
Brigadier General Nditsheni Singo, Acting General Officer Commanding Joint Operational Headquarters, said the exercise reflects a shared commitment to securing key sea routes and strengthening cooperation among participating navies. He added that further details would be released in due course.
The exercise theme, agreed jointly by all participating countries, is “Joint Actions to Ensure the Safety of Shipping and Maritime Economic Activities.” The SANDF said this reflects a collective effort to safeguard maritime trade routes and promote peaceful maritime security.
Exercise Mosi has traditionally taken place every two years and has previously involved South Africa, China and Russia. The most recent edition was postponed from November as South Africa was hosting the G20 summit. The inclusion of Iran as a BRICS Plus member appears to have prompted both the renaming and expansion of the exercise.
Several participating vessels are already en route to South Africa. Two Chinese navy ships, the guided-missile destroyer Tangshan and the replenishment ship Taihu, made a port call in Mombasa, Kenya, on 24 December. A third Chinese vessel from the same flotilla is reported to have remained in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden region.
Russia is contributing the corvette Stoykiy, accompanied by a Ka-27 anti-submarine warfare helicopter, as well as the oiler Yelnya. The Russian ships arrived in Pointe-Noire in the Republic of the Congo on 21 December and are expected to make further port calls in Tanzania, Guinea and Mozambique after the exercise.
Iran’s navy will participate through its 103rd Flotilla, which is expected to arrive in South Africa within the next ten days. Iran’s state-linked WANA news agency quoted naval commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani as saying the exercise aims to strengthen operational cooperation, maritime security and coordination in international waters.
Rear Admiral Irani said such joint drills provide an opportunity to exchange experience and improve operational capability. He noted that Iran, China and Russia have held similar exercises in recent years, with an increasing focus on complex operational scenarios beyond basic search and rescue operations.
The exercise has, however, drawn political criticism within South Africa. The opposition Democratic Alliance said the participation of Iran and Russia raises serious questions about South Africa’s stated policy of non-alignment.
Chris Hattingh, the DA’s spokesperson on defence and military veterans, said hosting naval forces from sanctioned countries involved in active conflicts sends a political message, whether intended or not. He also expressed concern about Iran’s recent rhetoric towards Western countries and warned that South Africa’s defence relationships with democratic partners were weakening.
The SANDF has not responded directly to the criticism, maintaining that Exercise Will for Peace 2026 is focused on maritime safety, cooperation and the protection of economic activity at sea.
As the exercise approaches, it is expected to draw close international attention, reflecting South Africa’s evolving role within BRICS Plus and its broader foreign and defence policy choices.
