Mohammedia – The city of Casablanca hosted on January 19 the official launch of the India-Morocco Pharma Business Forum, marking a new step in healthcare and industrial cooperation between the two countries.
The two-day event took place at the Hyatt Regency Casablanca and brought together senior government officials, industry leaders and pharmaceutical companies from both sides.
The forum was inaugurated by Omar Hejira, Morocco’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, alongside Sanjay Rana, Ambassador of India to Morocco.
Also attending were Hassane Berkani, President of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of the Casablanca-Settat region, Raja Bhanu, Director General of the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India, Yasmine Lahlou Filali, President of the Moroccan Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry and Innovation, as well as senior representatives from the Moroccan pharmaceutical sector.
Designed as a platform for direct business engagement, the forum facilitated business-to-business meetings between 60 Indian pharmaceutical companies and their Moroccan counterparts.
The Indian delegation represented a wide range of activities across the pharmaceutical value chain, including active pharmaceutical ingredients, intermediates, finished formulations, biological products and vaccines.
Speaking at the event, Raja Bhanu highlighted India’s position as a major global supplier of medicines, noting that the country’s pharmaceutical exports reached a record value of $30 billion last year.
He said the forum provided an opportunity to strengthen commercial ties and explore new areas of collaboration with Morocco’s growing healthcare market.
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Ambassador Sanjay Rana said bilateral relations between India and Morocco have continued to expand across multiple sectors.
He noted that the Indian pharmaceutical industry offers a broad portfolio of affordable and high-quality products that align with Morocco’s healthcare needs, from essential raw materials to advanced medical solutions.
Omar Hejira pointed to Morocco’s ambitions in pharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly in generics and biosimilars.
He invited Indian companies to invest and establish partnerships in the country, citing Morocco’s industrial infrastructure and its access to international markets through free trade agreements.
Yasmine Lahlou Filali said Morocco’s pharmaceutical industry is built on five decades of experience and operates according to high quality standards.
Hassane Berkani also encouraged Indian companies to consider the Casablanca-Settat region as a base for investment, pledging institutional support.
Pharmaceutical products currently account for about 10% of India’s exports to Morocco, mainly in raw materials used by local manufacturers. The forum reflects ongoing efforts to deepen economic ties and strengthen cooperation in healthcare and industry between the two countries.
