Minister Rajnath Singh to Visit Morocco in Four-Day Bilateral Trip

India’s Minister of Defense Rajnath Singh is set to visit Morocco on a four-day official trip, Indian news outlet Bharat Shakti reported on Friday.The news outlet said today that the visit reflects India’s serious  interest in expanding its “defence-industrial presence in Africa.”The news outlet also recalled the importance of cooperation between Morocco and India, referring to Indian defense company MKU’s presence in the North African country.

“The company has worked closely with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces over the past four years,” the Indian news outlet said.With headquarters in Kanpur, the company manufactures optronics devices like monoculars and night vision binoculars. The outlet also cited sources that emphasized MKU’s role in offering Morocco key defense equipment, including sighting systems for grenade launchers, as well as surveillance equipment.The report also cited China’s expansion on the continent, emphasizing that Singh’s visit comes as India aims to secure a spot in the region by offering “an alternative model of capacity-building through partnerships.”

India and Morocco have consistently emphasized the importance of their bilateral ties at all levels, including security and defense.

Last year in December, Morocco signed a military deal with India’s Tata Group for new military trucks.The agreement came a few months after Morocco teamed up with Tata  Advanced Systems Limited, a subsidiary of the Tata group, to produce the WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicle domestically.Last year, Moroccan Minister Delegate in charge of national defense administration, Abdellatif Loudiyi, stressed the importance of bilateral ties between the two countries.They said New Delhi and Rabat have every potential to pursue their positive momentum in different fields, including defense.“We want you in Morocco, we will support you,” the Moroccan minister said, renewing Morocco’s commitment to providing favorable conditions for Indian defense companies.