All hands on deck for defence at the IBSA summit: rethinking South Africa's position

This research paper examines the role of defence cooperation within the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) framework, focusing on the strategic position and military capabilities of South Africa relative to its partners.

• Defence cooperation within IBSA has primarily manifested through joint naval exercises called IBSAMAR. The first operation occurred in May 2008 off the south western coast of South Africa, focusing on casualty evacuation, shipping safety, and search and rescue operations. A second exercise, IBSAMAR II, was scheduled for September 2010 in South African waters.
• South Africa possesses significantly fewer military assets and a lower global fighting force ranking compared to India and Brazil. The South African Navy has 22 vessels, while Brazil has 89 and India has 143 warships. Globally, India is ranked 4th, Brazil 8th, and South Africa 32nd in terms of fighting force effectiveness.
• The IBSA defensive component is a political platform rather than a mutual defence treaty or a mechanism for enhancing defensive positions. Former Indian Minister of External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee stated in 2008 that combined exercises are manifestations of political cooperation and not intended to establish military agreements.
• South Africa can use IBSA to promote its domestic arms industry, specifically the state-owned manufacturer Denel. While a 2005 deal for 400 anti-material rifles with India collapsed due to bribery allegations and a subsequent ban, Denel is currently in a joint venture with Brazil for the A-Darter infrared air-to-air missile. Potential future cooperation includes the Embraer KC 390 aircraft and the Umkhonto ER surface-to-air missile.
• The three IBSA partners agreed to a trilateral satellite programme to produce two weather observation satellites and one general observation satellite. The general observation satellite could serve defensive purposes by monitoring land borders, coastal waters, and sensitive shipping lanes to prevent illicit activities and cross-border incursions.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2010). All hands on deck for defence at the IBSA summit: rethinking South Africa's position. https://saiia.org.za/research/all-hands-on-deck-for-defence-at-the-ibsa-summit-rethinking-south-africas-position/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. All hands on deck for defence at the IBSA summit: rethinking South Africa's position. 2010. https://saiia.org.za/research/all-hands-on-deck-for-defence-at-the-ibsa-summit-rethinking-south-africas-position/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=All hands on deck for defence at the IBSA summit: rethinking South Africa's position |date=20 April 2010 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/all-hands-on-deck-for-defence-at-the-ibsa-summit-rethinking-south-africas-position/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2010all, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{All hands on deck for defence at the IBSA summit: rethinking South Africa's position}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2010}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/all-hands-on-deck-for-defence-at-the-ibsa-summit-rethinking-south-africas-position/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }