South Africa’s Department of Defence has moved to postpone a high-profile joint naval exercise with Russia and China, originally scheduled for November 2025, as the country prepares to host the Group of 20 (G20) Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg. The decision, announced in early September, comes amid mounting diplomatic sensitivities and logistical challenges surrounding the global summit, as well as ongoing scrutiny of South Africa’s balancing act between its international partners.
According to SAnews.gov.za, the joint exercise—planned as the third iteration of biennial drills among BRICS partners—was set to take place in China, coinciding with the G20 meeting on November 22 and 23. The Department of Defence explained, “In consultation with the Presidency and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the Department of Defence is engaging its counterparts in the People’s Republic of China on a postponement of the exercise to a mutually suitable date. This is to ensure that the exercises do not impact the logistical, security and other arrangements associated with South Africa’s G20 Presidency.”
The G20 summit is expected to draw global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and other BRICS heads of state. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will serve as host, while the attendance of U.S. President Donald Trump remains unconfirmed, according to Bloomberg. The summit’s significance, both in terms of international diplomacy and security, has prompted South African officials to prioritize its smooth execution above other scheduled military engagements.
South Africa’s request for postponement follows a pattern of careful diplomatic maneuvering. The previous joint naval exercise, held in 2023, coincided with the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and attracted sharp criticism from U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Ukraine’s ambassador to Pretoria, as reported by Bloomberg. The presence of Russian warships in South African waters at such a politically charged moment underscored the complexities of Pretoria’s foreign policy, which seeks to maintain strong ties with both Western and Eastern powers.
The Department of Defence has emphasized that participation in multinational military exercises forms part of South Africa’s broader strategy to foster sound multilateral and bilateral relations. “As it has in the past, South Africa continues to hold joint military exercises with a broad range of countries. In the last few years, the SANDF [South African National Defence Force] has conducted joint and multinational military exercises with countries such as Brazil, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States,” the department stated, according to SAnews.gov.za.
Naval exercises of this scale are designed to evaluate tactics, enhance interoperability, and promote cooperation among participating nations. They typically include a mix of simulations and real-world scenarios, ranging from tactical maneuvers and search-and-rescue operations to anti-piracy drills. These activities not only build military capacity but also serve as a barometer for broader diplomatic relationships.
Yet, the timing of the 2025 exercise—overlapping with the G20 summit—raised concerns about potential logistical and security complications. South African officials were keen to avoid any scenario in which the naval drills might detract from or disrupt the summit, which is expected to be one of the most significant diplomatic gatherings in the country’s recent history.
Complicating matters further, diplomatic relations between South Africa and the United States have been described as strained, particularly in the context of South Africa’s partnerships with Russia and China. According to Africa Intelligence, there is pressure on South Africa’s armed forces to cancel or at least postpone the naval drills with China and Russia. Meanwhile, a joint exercise between Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the South African military is scheduled for late August 2025, with officials advised to proceed discreetly to avoid attracting unwanted attention from American authorities.
South Africa’s diplomatic balancing act has not gone unnoticed. The country is a member of the BRICS bloc—alongside Brazil, Russia, India, and China—which has positioned itself as an alternative to Western-led international forums. At the same time, South Africa maintains active military cooperation with Western countries, including recent joint exercises with France, Germany, and the United States, as highlighted by the Department of Defence. This dual-track approach has occasionally placed Pretoria in the crosshairs of international criticism, particularly when its engagements appear to align more closely with Moscow or Beijing.
Bloomberg further reports that South Africa’s previous naval exercises with Russia and China have drawn significant attention, especially given the broader geopolitical context. The 2023 drills, for instance, were seen by some Western observers as tacit support for Russia at a time when the war in Ukraine had deeply divided the international community. South Africa, however, has consistently defended its right to conduct military exercises with a range of partners, insisting that these activities are routine and not indicative of any shift in foreign policy alignment.
“South Africa has participated in two previous naval drills with China and Russia as part of the BRICS bloc, which includes Brazil and India,” the Department of Defence reiterated in statements to both local and international media. The country’s leadership has sought to portray these exercises as a normal feature of its defense and diplomatic agenda, rather than a signal of exclusive or preferential alliances.
Still, the postponement of the 2025 exercise reflects a pragmatic recognition of the unique challenges posed by hosting the G20 summit. With global leaders converging on Johannesburg, the stakes for South Africa’s international image—and its ability to manage complex security operations—are higher than ever. Ensuring that the summit proceeds without incident or distraction has become the overriding priority for the government and military alike.
As South Africa navigates these diplomatic waters, it faces ongoing questions about its role on the world stage. Can it continue to straddle the divide between East and West, engaging with both BRICS partners and Western allies? Or will mounting pressures force Pretoria to recalibrate its foreign policy approach? For now, the decision to postpone the naval exercise signals a careful, calculated effort to maintain equilibrium—at least until the world’s eyes have turned elsewhere.
With the G20 summit fast approaching, South Africa’s leaders are betting that diplomacy and discretion will serve them better than displays of naval power. Only time will tell whether this gamble pays off, but for now, the country’s focus remains firmly on the successful hosting of one of the world’s most important diplomatic events.
