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Marrakech – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Morocco in early July as part of a five-nation diplomatic tour. The visit to Rabat will mark the first stop in Modi’s extensive journey spanning Africa, Latin America, and West Asia.
According to Economic Times, the visit to Morocco has been in preparation for several years but was repeatedly postponed due to scheduling conflicts. Modi is expected to meet with King Mohammed VI during his stay in Rabat.
Morocco holds strategic importance for New Delhi as an emerging security and economic partner in North Africa. The Indian newspaper describes Morocco as “one of the key Arab states with a growing economy, and strong outreach in West Africa and southern Europe.”
Other Indian media outlets went further, referring to the North African country as a “strategic partner” with rising regional influence.
In a May interview with Morocco World News (MWN), a senior diplomat from the Indian embassy in Rabat characterized the relationship as “built on trust, shared ambitions, and a long-standing sense of mutual respect.”
The diplomat stressed that “India and Morocco share a time-tested and resilient partnership built on deep mutual respect, strategic convergence, and shared quest for the well-being and prosperity of our citizens.”
The diplomatic tour comes shortly after Modi’s recent re-election as India’s prime minister. The visit aims to strengthen India’s leadership position within the Global South and build a broader anti-terror coalition following the Pahalgam attack in India.
The talks between Modi and the Moroccan monarch are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in several key sectors. Priority areas include energy, cybersecurity, smart agriculture, and African logistics chains.
This planned meeting shows India’s intention to broaden its influence beyond Asia, with Morocco positioned as a first-tier partner for the coming years.
In late 2024, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), a subsidiary of India’s Tata Group, established a robust foothold in Morocco through a landmark defense production agreement.
The partnership centers on locally manufacturing Wheeled Armoured Combat Vehicles (WhAP 8×8) and developing a regional hub for defense mobility equipment, exemplifying the growing South-South cooperation that both countries aim to advance in the defense sector.
After Morocco, Modi will continue his tour with visits to Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jordan. His stop in Brazil on July 6-7 will coincide with the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where he may meet with several global leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The BRICS Summit will address six priority areas under Brazil’s chairmanship: reform of global governance, climate change, climate financing, global health, artificial intelligence, and economy and finance.
Brazilian Ambassador to India Kenneth F. Haczynski da Nóbrega noted that the summit would produce a joint statement and specific declarations on climate change financing and artificial intelligence governance.
The timing of Modi’s visit comes just days after King Mohammed VI extended condolences to India following the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.
In his message to Indian President Droupadi Murmu, the Moroccan sovereign expressed “deep affliction” over the disaster that claimed at least 270 lives, offering “sincere condolences and feelings of solidarity and compassion” to the president, the bereaved families, and the “friendly Indian people.”
