India and Morocco Launch Joint Defence Committee to Expand Military and Industrial Cooperation

India and Morocco have held the inaugural meeting of their Joint Defence Committee in New Delhi, creating a formal mechanism to expand military cooperation across training, exercises, cyber security, defence industry and military medicine. The meeting on September 8 was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary for International Cooperation in India's Ministry of Defence, and Brigadier General Abdellah Athmani, Chief of the 2nd Bureau of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces. Both sides discussed cooperation in military training and education, peacekeeping operations, joint exercises, medical services, cyber defence and defence manufacturing. They also agreed to explore opportunities in co-production, joint ventures, technology collaboration, maintenance and sustainment. The industrial component of the discussions is particularly significant as Morocco seeks to expand its domestic defence capabilities while India promotes itself as a supplier and manufacturing partner for overseas markets. As part of the visit, the Moroccan delegation interacted with Indian defence companies at DPSU Bhawan in New Delhi, where it was briefed on India's growing defence manufacturing base. The engagement provided an opportunity to examine areas where Indian companies could participate in Moroccan requirements through equipment supply, local production or technology partnerships. The Indian delegation included representatives from the Department of Defence, the Army, Navy and Air Force, Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, Department of Defence Production, Armed Forces Medical Services, DRDO and the Ministry of External Affairs. The Moroccan delegation is visiting India from September 7 to 10. Brigadier General Athmani began the programme by laying a wreath at the National War Memorial in New Delhi. The delegation is also scheduled to visit Army Hospital (Research & Referral) to study India's military medical capabilities. The Joint Defence Committee follows the defence cooperation memorandum signed during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Morocco in September 2025. That agreement created the framework for more structured engagement between the armed forces and defence establishments of the two countries. The first committee meeting therefore marks the transition from a broad political agreement to an institutional mechanism through which specific projects and military exchanges can be pursued. India and Morocco will complete 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2027. Defence cooperation, which was once a relatively limited part of the relationship, is now emerging as an additional pillar alongside trade, investment and political engagement. For India, Morocco also offers a strategically located partner in North Africa with access to both the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions. Expanding defence-industrial cooperation could give Indian manufacturers a stronger presence in the region while providing Morocco with additional options for equipment, technology and lifecycle support. The next phase will depend on whether the areas identified during the inaugural meeting develop into regular exercises, training exchanges or concrete industrial projects. The establishment of the Joint Defence Committee gives both governments a dedicated channel to pursue those opportunities. Source: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?PRID=2307946®=48⟨=1