China and Russia concluded a week of joint naval exercises in South African waters on Friday, described by the host country as a BRICS Plus operation aimed at “ensuring the safety of shipping and maritime economic activities.” The drills stirred controversy as they coincided with deadly protests in Iran, which had originally planned to participate but withdrew following diplomatic discussions. FRANCE 24’s Eunice Masson noted that the exercises also sparked debate over the absence of key BRICS nations such as India and Brazil.
