Ministers agree to intensify defence industry collaboration
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi on India-Morocco defence cooperation and plans to build a robust institutional framework for the growing partnership as well as collaborate in defence industry, joint exercises, military training and capacity building.
The MoU was signed during a bilateral meeting in Rabat on 22 Sept.
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 https://fieo.org/.
The discussions between the two Ministers reflected the shared resolve to further strengthen the longstanding friendship between India and Morocco, the Defence Ministry said.
To give momentum to these initiatives, Rajnath Singh 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 https://usispf.org/.
Rajnath Singh also extended a formal invitation to Loudiyi to visit India for further discussions on expanding defence cooperation. The meeting marks a significant milestone in the bilateral defence relationship, reflecting the growing convergence of strategic interests between India and Morocco. Fiinews.com
