India and Morocco have agreed to work towards doubling bilateral trade over the next five years and decided to establish a Joint Working Group (JWG) to explore opportunities for expanding trade and the feasibility of a preferential trade agreement (PTA) between the two countries.
The decisions were taken during the 7th Session of the India-Morocco Joint Commission, co-chaired by Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics & Information Technology Jitin Prasada and Morocco’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade Omar Hejira during Prasada’s official visit to Morocco on August 24-25.
Bilateral trade between India and Morocco stood at around $4 billion in 2025, and both sides agreed to diversify the trade basket and expand market access in goods and services to unlock the untapped potential of the economic relationship.
The proposed JWG will examine tariff and non-tariff barriers and explore measures to improve market access and trade facilitation for goods and services. The two countries also agreed to step up business delegations, prospecting missions and networking activities to identify new opportunities and promote joint ventures and partnerships.
Potential areas for increased trade identified at the meeting include fertilisers and chemicals, mineral resources, machinery and electrical equipment, automotive parts and vehicles, building materials, polymers, agri-food products, tea, metals and tourism.
The two sides also stressed the need for predictable and timely market access for pharmaceutical products. India raised concerns faced by its pharmaceutical companies, including market authorisation procedures and approval timelines, as well as market-access issues concerning key export products and ongoing investigations into imports of ceramic tiles from India.
India and Morocco agreed to strengthen business-to-business engagement through reciprocal participation in trade fairs and exhibitions, business forums and investment-related activities. They also backed a stronger role for the Morocco-India Business Council and the Morocco-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry in facilitating private-sector partnerships.
Focus on agriculture, food safety and culture
The two countries agreed to deepen cooperation in sustainable agriculture, food security, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, food safety, agricultural research, digital agriculture, biotechnology and agricultural value chains.
During the Joint Commission, Morocco’s National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) and India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in food safety.
The agreement provides for exchange of information, technical expertise and best practices, capacity building and other activities aimed at facilitating safe and sustainable bilateral trade.
India and Morocco also signed a Cultural Exchange Programme for 2026-2030, covering artist and professional exchanges, participation in festivals and exhibitions, heritage conservation and greater cooperation among museums, libraries and archival institutions.
The two countries will mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2027, which they said would provide an opportunity to further strengthen cultural exchanges and people-to-people ties.
The next, or 8th Session of the India-Morocco Joint Commission, will be held in New Delhi on a mutually agreed date.
India pitches investment opportunities to Moroccan businesses
At the Morocco-India Business Forum in Casablanca on August 24, Prasada invited Moroccan companies to invest in India and explore joint ventures across emerging sectors.
The forum, hosted by the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), focused on opportunities in automotive, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, startups and finance, fertilisers and chemicals, healthcare and pharmaceuticals.
Prasada highlighted opportunities in EV components and precision automotive sub-assemblies, solar energy, energy storage and grid management, fintech, startups, AI, hospitals, diagnostics, medical devices and digital health.
He said India’s rapidly growing economy and the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 offer significant opportunities for Moroccan businesses seeking partnerships and investment opportunities.
The minister was accompanied by a high-level Indian business delegation led by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). The delegation held meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra and CGEM.
India-Morocco cooperation in fertilisers
As part of his visit, Prasada visited India-Maroc Phosphore (IMACID), a joint venture between Morocco’s OCP Group and Indian partners, to review cooperation in phosphates and fertilisers.
The two sides reaffirmed the importance of their longstanding partnership in the strategic sector, including joint ventures between OCP and Paradeep Phosphates Limited and Indo-Maroc Phosphore (IMACID).
The OCP team reiterated its commitment to supplying phosphates and fertilisers according to the requirements of India’s farming sector. The partnership is expected to continue supporting India’s fertiliser supply chains while strengthening broader cooperation in the sector.
Digital transformation and AI cooperation
Prasada also held meetings with senior Moroccan ministers and officials, including Hejira, Minister of Industry and Trade Riyad Mezzour, Minister Delegate for Investment Karim Zidane and Minister Delegate for Digital Transition and Administrative Reform Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni.
The discussions covered trade, investment, industry and digital transformation, with artificial intelligence emerging as an important area for future cooperation.
The minister also interacted with the Indian business and wider Indian community in Morocco, encouraging Indian companies to expand their engagement with the country and build deeper partnerships with Moroccan enterprises.
