Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is undertaking a historic visit to Morocco from September 21-23, marking his first official trip to the North African nation at the invitation of Morocco’s Minister Delegate of National Defence, Abdeltif Loudiyi. The visit is a strategic milestone in India-Morocco relations, focusing on expanding defence cooperation, industrial collaboration, and strengthening bilateral partnerships.

A central highlight of the trip will be the inauguration of TATA Advanced Systems Maroc’s defence manufacturing facility at Berrechid, where the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 will be produced. This plant is the first-ever Indian defence manufacturing unit established in Africa, symbolising a major breakthrough under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative by extending India’s defence industrial footprint to the continent.

The inauguration of the WhAP 8x8 facility marks a significant stride in India’s commitment to globalising its indigenous defence capabilities, while also exemplifying Morocco’s role as a strategic partner in Africa. Singh will also engage with Morocco’s defence and industrial leadership, holding bilateral talks with Abdeltif Loudiyi aimed at boosting defence cooperation, military training, joint exercises, and technology partnerships.

He will meet Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, to explore avenues for enhancing industrial and economic linkages, thereby expanding the scope of Indo-Moroccan collaboration beyond defence towards wider strategic and commercial domains.

Another major outcome of the visit will be the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation between India and Morocco. The MoU will institutionalise defence ties, creating a structured framework for exchanges, training programs, and joint industrial ventures.

With the Indian Navy already making regular port calls at Casablanca, this agreement will give further substance to maritime and regional security cooperation, strengthening India’s presence in the western Mediterranean and North Africa. Singh’s engagement with Morocco’s leadership is expected to pave the way for stronger collaborations in counter-terrorism, defence technology co-production, and maritime domain awareness.

In addition to formal engagements, Rajnath Singh will interact with the Indian community in Rabat, which underscores the people-to-people dimension of bilateral ties and reflects India’s broader diplomatic approach of coupling strategic cooperation with diaspora outreach.

This visit gains symbolic importance against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s earlier engagement with King Mohammed VI in 2015, which had laid the foundation for stronger ties. Singh’s Morocco trip is thus poised to inject fresh momentum into bilateral relations, consolidating India’s position as a rising global defence exporter while affirming Morocco’s growing importance in India’s African policy.

It also reflects New Delhi’s long-term strategy to establish strategic footholds in Africa, align defence manufacturing with international partnerships, and project influence beyond South Asia through technologically advanced, ‘Made in India’ platforms.

Based On ANI Report