BRICS Fleets Move Into the Indian Ocean: Why Did India Suddenly Stay Away? | World News

New Delhi: Last week off Durban, warships from Russia, China, Iran and South Africa sailed together in a high-profile naval exercise in the Indian Ocean. All four are BRICS members. India, which was also a founding member of BRICS, was not included in the formation.

New Delhi’s absence was no coincidence. Keeping Beijing in mind, India decided to stay out of the exercise and signaled that defense relations with China were maintained despite recent diplomatic contacts.

The exercise itself was on a fairly large scale. On board were two Russian warships, three Chinese navy ships, two Iranian frigates and three South African ships operating in the Indian Ocean as part of the 48th Anti-Piracy Escort Task Force.

Russia deployed the Marshal Shaposhnikov, a 7,000-ton destroyer-frigate, along with a tanker. China sent the 7,000-ton modern guided missile destroyer Tangshan, the 4,000-ton Daqing, the guided missile frigate and the supply ship Taihu.

Iran contributed two frigates, while South Africa fielded three ships, including an offshore patrol ship.

India was officially invited and South Africa became the leading country in the exercise. The rejection of the invitation was described by high-level sources as a “political decision taken into account”. This choice reflects New Delhi’s broader approach towards China, where engagements continue in certain areas and military cooperation is tightly restricted.

Relations between India and China are showing signs of improvement at the diplomatic level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China in August-September this year for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Cooperation in areas such as business and tourism has gained momentum, but defense ties remain weak.

While Chinese officials are pushing for more naval visits and joint exercises, India does not seem keen. Conditions along the Line of Actual Control have eased compared to previous flashpoints, but troop positions have not returned to the pre-Galwan state before the fighting in summer 2020.

Participation in such exercises provides operational benefits, including insights into the tactics and capabilities of other participating navies. Still, New Delhi’s view is that deeper military involvement is contingent on meaningful political progress.

While India remains out of the Durban exercise, its maritime profile continues to expand elsewhere. The Indian Navy is set to take charge of the training facilities of the Bahrain-based Joint Naval Force, a coalition of more than 40 countries including the US, UK, France, Germany, various Gulf countries, Pakistan and Türkiye.

A key component is Joint Task Force 154, which focuses on improving maritime capabilities. India will lead this training capsule for the first time, underlining that maritime support is actively, selectively and carefully calibrated.