On Monday, September 21, Morocco and India signed a defense memorandum ofunderstanding during Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to the Kingdom.
A statement from the National Defense Administration noted that the visit aimed to enhance and diversify bilateral cooperation between Morocco and the Republic of India. The signing ceremony was attended by General Mohamed Berrid, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces and Commander of the Southern Zone, and General Mohamed Harmou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie.
The memorandum concerns cooperation in areas such as training and capacity building, cybersecurity, defense manufacturing, military health, and the exchange of expertise and experiences in various fields of mutual interest. It also establishes a joint mechanism to monitor and coordinate agreed-upon cooperation activities.
Additionally, the ministers reviewed the historical friendship between Morocco and India, which has gained momentum since the historic visit of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to India in 2015, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, emphasizing the priority of the partnership between the two countries.
They also exchanged views on bilateral and regional issues, as well as ways to strengthen defense cooperation, particularly in the realm of defense manufacturing.
The meeting served as an opportunity to highlight various South-South cooperation initiatives and regional integration efforts launched by His Majesty, positioning Morocco as a key player in stability and a source of peace and security for neighboring countries. In this context, the ministers stressed the importance of establishing strategic partnerships between Morocco and India within a South-South cooperation framework that benefits the development of both countries and African nations.
The statement concluded that both officials expressed a shared ambition and commitment to enhance these relations in the future by implementing the memorandum of understanding signed today, reflecting the friendship, trust, and mutual respect between the two countries.
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