How are India and Morocco Strengthening Their Partnership?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Enhanced bilateral partnership: Ongoing discussions aim to strengthen ties.
- Defence collaboration: The inauguration of a new facility marks a significant milestone.
- Strategic discussions: Focus on counter-terrorism, maritime security, and cyber defence.
- High-level meetings: Indian and Moroccan leaders are committed to deepening cooperation.
- Indian diaspora engagement: Acknowledgment of contributions to both nations.
New Delhi, Sep 24 (NationPress) Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, conducted a meeting on Wednesday with Omar Hejira, the visiting Secretary of State responsible for Foreign Trade of Morocco, in New Delhi, where they explored avenues to enhance their bilateral partnership.
"It was a pleasure meeting H.E. Mr. Omar Hejira, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade of the Kingdom of Morocco. The relationship between India and Morocco is characterized by warmth and friendship. We discussed strategies to bolster this partnership," Singh shared in a post on X following their meeting.
This meeting occurred shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh concluded a two-day visit to Morocco from September 22-23.
On Tuesday, Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi jointly inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Limited’s (TASL) cutting-edge defence manufacturing facility located in Morocco's Berrechid. He highlighted this event as a historic milestone in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Morocco. The facility, spanning 20,000 square meters, will produce the indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8, jointly designed by TASL and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
On Monday, Rajnath Singh met with Morocco’s Minister of Trade Ryad Mezzour in Rabat, where discussions focused on sectors such as defence, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals.
"Today, I had a productive meeting with Morocco’s Minister of Trade Mr. Ryad Mezzour in Rabat, where we delved into topics like defence, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals," the Indian Defence Minister posted on X.
Furthermore, he met with his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi, where they discussed initiatives to enhance collaboration across various domains, including counter-terrorism, maritime security, cyber defence, and capacity building. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the defence sector.
"I had a very fruitful meeting with Morocco's Defence Minister Mr. Abdeltif Loudiyi, during which we signed an MoU for cooperation in the field of defence. India's relations with Morocco have been remarkably growing over the years. We explored avenues for deeper cooperation in critical areas including counter-terrorism, maritime security, cyber defence, and capacity building," Singh remarked.
During his visit, Singh also engaged with the Indian diaspora in Rabat, commending their contributions to both their host nation and their homeland. This visit, at the invitation of Abdeltif Loudiyi, marked the inaugural visit of an Indian Defence Minister to Morocco.