Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will pay a two-day official visit to Morocco from September 22-23 at the invitation of the country’s Minister Delegate of National Defence Abdeltif Loudiyi, the Defence Ministry said on Saturday.
This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Defence Minister to the North African nation, signalling growing strategic convergence between the two countries.
A key highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of Tata Advanced Systems Maroc’s new manufacturing facility for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8 at Berrechid. The unit, the first Indian defence manufacturing plant in Africa, marks a significant milestone for India’s defence industry under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
During his visit, Singh will hold bilateral talks with Loudiyi to strengthen defence, strategic and industry cooperation. He is also scheduled to call on Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour to explore industrial collaboration and will interact with the Indian community in Rabat.
Both sides are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in defence, providing an institutional framework to enhance exchanges, training and industrial linkages. Indian Navy ships have been making regular port calls at Casablanca in recent years, and the proposed agreement will further consolidate ties.
India-Morocco relations have gained momentum since King Mohammed VI’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015 in India. Singh’s upcoming visit is expected to give fresh impetus to the partnership, particularly in the defence and strategic sectors.