South Africa

The paradox of South Africa being formally neutral on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, yet parallelly deepening military relationship with Russia, is continuing to strain US–South Africa relations.

• Abhishek Mishra
• July 31, 2023
• IDSA Comments

South Africa has utilised the opportunity provided by the COVID-19 pandemic to consolidate its regional leadership and augment connections with major external partners like India.

• Ruchita Beri
• May 26, 2020
• IDSA Comments

The recent spate of violence in South Africa appears to be rooted in the country’s failure to fully transform itself in the post-apartheid era. If the government fails to effectively address the issue of rising unemployment and widening socio-economic inequality in the country, the violence is likely to recur from time to time.

• Anand Kumar
• October 04, 2019
• IDSA Comments

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to India provided an opportunity to honour the contribution of Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi and reinvigorate India’s relations with South Africa, a strategic partner and a leading economic power in Africa.

• Ruchita Beri
• January-June 2019
• Africa Trends

The RSA may be forced to choose between significantly increasing the budgetary allocations for the SAN and adopting a rotational storage programme to preserve capability while reducing operational costs.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj
• February 05, 2018
• IDSA Comments

The SAN in the post-Apartheid era has been completely transformed from a “brown-water” force of missile craft and short-range submarines to one with considerable “blue-water” capability. However, serious allegations of corruption have marred its procurement processes.

• Sanjay Badri-Maharaj
• January-June 2017
• Africa Trends

With the successful holding of the fifth summit of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in Durban during March 26–27, 2013, this influential group of emerging economies completed its first important phase of genesis and evolution. The idea was floated in 2001 as an ‘acronym’ created by an investment banker of Goldman Sachs, Jim O'Neil who believed that the fast-growing economies of Brazil, Russia, China and India would be the single greatest game changers in coming times.

• Swaran Singh
• July 2013
• Strategic Analysis

The Central African Republic's political crisis is driven by international politics and resource competition.

• Ahana Banerjee
• April 2013
• Africa Trends

BRICS is not challenging the existing world order. It is seeking a place in the sun for developing countries. It is looking at alternative approaches but there is no desire to seek confrontation with the West.

• Arvind Gupta
• April 01, 2013
• IDSA Comments

While their growing economic clout has brought Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa together, translating the hand holding gestures at the end of each summit into real unity is likely to remain a daunting task.

• Ruchita Beri
• April 03, 2012
• IDSA Comments