NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Morocco's Defence Minister Abdeltif Loudiyi held a bilateral meeting in Rabat on Monday, where both ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on defence cooperation.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, "The MoU provides for a robust institutional framework to the growing partnership and paves the way for collaboration in the defence industry, joint exercises, military training and capacity building."
The discussions between the two Ministers reflected the shared resolve to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between India and Morocco.
"Both leaders decided to intensify defence industry collaboration and agreed on a comprehensive roadmap covering counter-terrorism, maritime security, cyber defence, peacekeeping operations, military medicine, and expert exchanges," said MoD.
To give momentum to these initiatives, the Defence Minister announced the opening of a new Defence Wing at the Embassy of India in Rabat.
He also highlighted the maturity of India's defence industry and its cutting-edge capabilities, including drone and counter-drone technologies, assuring the Moroccan side that Indian companies are well-positioned to meet the requirements of Morocco's defence forces.
Both Ministers underscored the importance of enhancing exchanges between Armed Forces, facilitating training programmes and exploring opportunities for co-development and co-production in the defence sector.
They also stressed the need for multilateral cooperation to address global and regional security challenges and welcomed closer coordination in maritime security, given the strategic significance of the Indian Ocean and Atlantic corridors.
The Defence Minister also extended a formal invitation to Mr Loudiyi to visit India for further discussions on expanding defence cooperation.
Terming it a significant milestone in the bilateral defence relationship, MoD said the meeting reflects "the growing convergence of strategic interests between India and Morocco."
As highlighted by TNIE earlier, Morocco is a maritime nation and, like India, holds a unique geographical position with coastlines along the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean.
India-Morocco relations go back to the 14th century when famous traveller and writer Ibn Batuta came to India. Joint Working Groups meet regularly to strengthen bilateral relationships.