Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will begin a diplomatic tour on July 2, with Morocco marking the first stop in a trip aimed at strengthening ties, and expanding economic cooperation.
The visit to Morocco, the first by an Indian premier in over two decades, signals renewed urgency in India’s outreach to North Africa, particularly on counterterrorism and technology partnerships, Indian media reported.
The two nations concluded a Security Cooperation MoU in 2018 and a Defence Cooperation MoU in 2020, plus pacts on cybersecurity and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters, marking systematic defence and counter‑terror collaboration
Modi’s arrival comes amid a surge in terror threats globally. India and Morocco have signed over 40 cooperation agreements in recent years across counterterrorism, cyber security, space, and vocational training, underscoring a rapidly expanding partnership that officials say Modi’s visit will further elevate.
The OCP Group has become a critical supplier of fertilizers to India. A 2023 deal secured the annual export of 1.7 million tonnes of tailored phosphate-based fertilizers to India, including 700,000 tonnes via OCP and an additional 1 million tonnes directly for Indian farmers.
India and Morocco have also reinforced ties in clean energy through their partnership within the International Solar Alliance, whose framework was first opened for signature in Marrakech in November 2016.
Since quietly withdrawing its recognition of Polisario in 2000, India has adopted a neutral stance on the Sahara, backing a UN-led solution.
Morocco’s exports to India in 2024 were estimated at approximately $460 million, driven chiefly by shipments of phosphate-based fertilizers, a critical resource in India’s agricultural and food-security strategy.
India exported goods worth around $949 million to Morocco, including refined petroleum products, rice, pharmaceuticals, and engineering goods. This trade pattern created a bilateral trade surplus for India of roughly $500 million
The tour continues in Argentina, Brazil for the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Trinidad and Tobago and finish in Jordan.
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