Minister Prasad Visit : India–Morocco Strengthen Economic Partnership; Target to Double Bilateral Trade in Five Years

Ø Prasada Strengthens India–Morocco Economic Partnership; 7th Joint Commission Gives Fresh Momentum to Trade and Investment Cooperation

Ø India–Morocco Agree to Double Bilateral Trade in Five Years; Joint Working Group to Explore Preferential Trade Agreement

Ø India–Morocco to Mark 70th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations in 2027; 8th Joint Commission to be Held in New Delhi

Ø Jitin Prasada Invites Moroccan Businesses to Invest in India; Highlights Opportunities in AI, EVs, Renewable Energy, Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals

· 7th India–Morocco Joint Commission: MoS Jitin Prasada co-chaired the meeting during his official visit to Morocco on 24–25 August 2026.

· Trade target: India and Morocco agreed to double bilateral trade over the next five years; bilateral trade was around USD 4 billion in 2025.

· Preferential Trade Agreement: A Joint Working Group (JWG) will explore the feasibility of a bilateral Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) and examine tariff/non-tariff barriers.

· Priority trade sectors: Fertilisers & chemicals, minerals, machinery, electrical equipment, automobiles, building materials, polymers, agri-food, tea, metals and tourism were identified for greater cooperation.

· Pharmaceuticals: Both sides agreed to address regulatory and market-access issues, including market authorisation procedures and approval timelines for Indian pharmaceutical companies.

· Agriculture & food safety: Cooperation will expand in sustainable agriculture, food security, SPS measures, food safety, agricultural research, biotechnology and digital agriculture.

· Food Safety MoU: ONSSA (Morocco) and FSSAI (India) signed an MoU covering information exchange, technical expertise, best practices and capacity building to facilitate safe bilateral trade.

· Investment opportunities: Morocco was invited to invest in India, particularly in automotive/EVs, AI, renewable energy, start-ups, fintech, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

· Fertilisers partnership: Cooperation with Morocco’s OCP Group was reaffirmed, including partnerships involving Paradeep Phosphates and IMACID, supporting India’s fertiliser supply chains.

· Future engagement: The two countries will celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, and the 8th India–Morocco Joint Commission will be held in New Delhi.

[ABS News Service/27.08.2026]

Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics & Information Technology, Jitin Prasada, concluded a successful official visit to the Kingdom of Morocco from 24 to 25 August 2026, during which he held a series of bilateral meetings with senior Moroccan Ministers and dignitaries. During the visit, he co-chaired the meeting of the 7th Session of the India–Morocco Joint Commission with his counterpart, H.E. Mr. Omar Hejira, Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade, in charge of Foreign Trade, Kingdom of Morocco.

India and Morocco have an enduring and mutually beneficial partnership that has gained strong strategic momentum under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

During his visit, Jitin Prasada participated in the Morocco–India Business Forum, held bilateral meetings with senior Moroccan Ministers, engaged with the Indian business community and visited the manufacturing facility of India-Maroc Phosphore (IMACID), a joint venture of Morocco’s OCP Group with Indian partners, to review the longstanding India–Morocco partnership in phosphates and fertilisers.

Mr. Prasada was accompanied by a high-level business delegation led by the Confederation of Indian Industry, which held fruitful meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, as well as the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM).

7th India–Morocco Joint Commission Meeting

The 7th India–Morocco Joint Commission provided renewed momentum to the bilateral economic partnership and established an expanded framework for cooperation aimed at increasing trade, strengthening market access, promoting investment and industrial partnerships, and creating new opportunities for Indian and Moroccan businesses.

The two sides reviewed progress in bilateral economic and commercial relations and agreed to further deepen and diversify cooperation across trade, investment, industry, fertilisers, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, energy, mining, digital transformation, transport and other areas of mutual interest. Bilateral trade reached around USD 4 billion in 2025, reflecting the sustained strengthening of economic and trade relations between the two countries. Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening their longstanding friendship and strategic partnership.

Both sides underscored that diversification of the trade basket and expansion of market access in both goods and services would help unlock the considerable untapped potential of the bilateral economic relationship. They agreed to work towards doubling bilateral trade over the next five years.

To achieve this, both countries emphasised that regular exchanges of business delegations, prospecting missions and networking activities would contribute to identifying new business opportunities, facilitating market access and promoting sustainable partnerships and joint ventures between Moroccan and Indian companies.

Potential areas identified for enhanced trade included fertilisers and chemicals, mineral resources, machinery and electrical equipment, automotive parts and vehicles, building materials, polymers, agri-food products, tea, metals and tourism. Both countries also agreed on the importance of facilitating predictable and timely market access for pharmaceutical products.

To provide an institutional mechanism for advancing this agenda, the two sides agreed to establish an India–Morocco Joint Working Group (JWG) to explore opportunities for developing bilateral trade and the feasibility of a preferential trade agreement between India and Morocco. The JWG will also examine tariff and non-tariff barriers and explore opportunities for improved market access and trade facilitation for goods and services.

The two sides agreed to work jointly to address regulatory and market-access issues faced by Indian pharmaceutical companies, including market authorisation procedures and approval timelines, with a view to facilitating bilateral trade and strengthening pharmaceutical cooperation. The Indian side raised market-access concerns relating to key products for export and the ongoing investigations concerning imports of ceramic tiles from India.

The two sides emphasised the importance of strengthening business-to-business engagement, reciprocal participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, business forums and investment-related activities. They also agreed to strengthen the role of the Morocco–India Business Council and the Morocco–India Chamber of Commerce and Industry in fostering partnerships between the private sectors of the two countries.

In agriculture, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, SPS measures, food safety, agricultural research, digital agriculture, biotechnology and agricultural value chains.

The two sides welcomed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA), Morocco and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Cooperation in the Field of Food Safety. The MoU provides a framework for the exchange of information, technical expertise and best practices, capacity building and activities aimed at facilitating safe and sustainable bilateral trade.

The two sides also signed the Cultural Exchange Programme for the years 2026–2030 during the Joint Commission Meeting. The programme will promote cultural exchanges and collaboration through artist and professional exchanges, participation in festivals and exhibitions, cooperation in heritage conservation and strengthened linkages among museums, libraries and archival institutions.

The two countries noted that the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027 will provide an opportunity to further promote cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties.

The two sides agreed to hold the 8th Session of the India–Morocco Joint Commission in New Delhi, on a date to be mutually agreed through diplomatic channels.

Morocco–India Business Forum: Priority Areas for Investment and Partnerships

At the Morocco–India Business Forum, hosted by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM) in Casablanca on 24 August 2026, Jitin Prasada highlighted key areas for enhanced business and investment cooperation, including automotive, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, start-ups and finance, fertilisers and chemicals, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

Mr. Prasada highlighted opportunities for deeper collaboration in automotive value chains, including EV components and precision sub-assemblies; renewable energy, including solar, energy storage and grid management; start-ups, fintech and finance; artificial intelligence; healthcare; and pharmaceuticals, including hospitals, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and digital health.

Jitin Prasada highlighted the opportunities offered by India’s rapidly growing economy and invited Moroccan businesses to invest in India, build joint ventures and participate in India’s growth story.

He noted that under the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Viksit Bharat 2047, India is building a modern and globally integrated economy, offering significant opportunities for enhanced India–Morocco business and investment partnerships.

OCP–India Partnership: Strengthening Cooperation in Phosphates and Fertilisers

Jitin Prasada visited India-Maroc Phosphore (IMACID), a joint venture of Morocco’s OCP Group with Indian partners, and reviewed the longstanding India–Morocco partnership in phosphates and fertilisers.

The two sides welcomed the strong and enduring cooperation in this strategic sector, including the joint ventures between the OCP Group and Indian partners, namely Paradeep Phosphates Limited and Indo-Maroc Phosphore (IMACID).

The OCP team underscored their commitment to the Minister for the supply of phosphates and fertilisers as per the requirements of the Indian farming sector. The visit reaffirmed the importance of the partnership in supporting India’s fertiliser supply chains and strengthening cooperation across the phosphates and fertilisers sector.

High-Level Bilateral Meetings: Advancing Trade, Investment and Digital Cooperation

Jitin Prasada held bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr. Omar Hejira, Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, and H.E. Mr. Riyad Mezzour, Minister of Industry and Trade, Morocco.

He also met H.E. Mr. Karim Zidane, Minister Delegate for Investment, and H.E. Dr. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform.

The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, industry and digital transformation, and on identifying new areas for mutually beneficial economic engagement, especially in Artificial Intelligence.

Engagement with Indian Business Community and People-to-People Ties

Jitin Prasada interacted with the Indian business community and members of the Indian community in Morocco and highlighted the important role of the community in strengthening India–Morocco ties.

He encouraged Indian businesses to further expand their engagement with Morocco and deepen partnerships across sectors, while emphasising the potential for greater collaboration between Indian and Moroccan enterprises.