‘Entirely South African Initiative’: MEA On India’s Non-Participation In BRICS Naval Exercise

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement on Saturday in response to queries over India’s non-participation in the BRICS Naval Exercise. MEA stated that the BRICS Naval exercise is entirely a South African initiative and not a regular BRICS institutionalised activity, which some BRICS members took part in. The Ministry of External Affairs further stated that some BRICS+ countries took part in the exercise. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in an X post, further clarified that India has not participated in previous such initiatives. The MEA response also noted that India regularly participates in the India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR)…