Moroccan and Indian business leaders met in Rabat on Monday for the 2026 Morocco-India Economic Forum, as the two countries seek to expand trade and investment across a range of strategic sectors.
The forum was organized by the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Embassy of India in Morocco.
The Indian delegation included 21 business leaders and company executives representing sectors including automotive manufacturing, agribusiness, infrastructure, digital technologies, health care, mining, energy, logistics, textiles and education.
The event aimed to strengthen economic ties between Morocco and India, identify new areas of cooperation and develop long-term partnerships, with business-to-business meetings forming a central part of the program.
Rachid Sami, vice president of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services, said the forum reflected the growing economic relationship between the two countries.
He said political ties had reached an unprecedented level, citing high-level ministerial visits and more than 40 memorandums of understanding covering areas including defense, counterterrorism, cybersecurity and agriculture.
Sami said bilateral trade had reached about $2.5 billion during the latest fiscal year, adding that there was significant potential to increase that figure in the coming years.
“Despite this, we firmly believe that these possibilities remain largely untapped,” Sami said, pointing to the economic and technological strengths of both countries.
He described India as a major trading partner and Africa’s fourth-largest economic partner, with strong technological expertise, industrial know-how and innovation capacity.
Morocco, meanwhile, offers investors a platform for production and exports, he said, citing its macroeconomic stability, infrastructure, free trade agreements with U.S. and European markets and skilled workforce.
Indian companies expand presence in Morocco
Sami also highlighted the presence of major Indian companies in Morocco, including Tata, Mahindra, Samta and HCL.
He pointed to Tata Advanced Systems’ recently established facility in Berrechid as an example of the growing industrial and strategic defense cooperation between the two countries.
Sami said the forum was intended to move beyond presentations and focus on concrete business opportunities, with B2B meetings serving as the centerpiece of the event.
Sunil Kumar, commercial representative at the Indian Embassy in Rabat, said bilateral trade remained below its potential despite its current size.
He called for the two countries to aim to double bilateral trade and other economic commitments over the next five years.
More than 50 Indian companies currently operate in Morocco across sectors including manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, information technology and specialized services, Kumar said.
Indian companies increasingly view Morocco not simply as a market for their products but as a strategic base for expanding into regional markets, he added.
Focus on trade diversification
Kumar called for greater diversification of bilateral trade, highlighting opportunities in engineering products, electronics and mobile phones, automotive components, chemicals, minerals, construction materials, plastics and food and agricultural products, as well as tea and coffee.
He also pointed to opportunities for cooperation in digital services, including information technology, software, fintech, engineering, business consulting, logistics, banking and specialized management services.
Kumar urged participants to turn proposals discussed at the forum into concrete projects and commercial partnerships.
“Developing a sustainable pipeline of future projects and partnerships” could give a new impetus to economic cooperation and translate bilateral relations into practical results, he said.
The forum comes as Morocco and India seek to build on growing political and economic ties, with both sides emphasizing investment, industrial cooperation and trade diversification as areas with further room for growth.
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