India, Morocco eye wider trade basket, greater market access: Jitin Prasada
New Delhi, Aug 24 (IANS) Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics & Information Technology Jitin Prasada on Monday said India and Morocco are working towards further diversifying bilateral trade, expanding market access and creating new opportunities for investment and industrial cooperation.
Prasada, who is on an official visit to Morocco from August 24 to 25, will co-chair the 7th Session of the India-Morocco Joint Commission with Morocco’s Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade, in charge of Foreign Trade, Omar Hejira.
The meeting is expected to review the existing areas of economic and commercial cooperation and identify avenues to broaden mutually beneficial engagement.
The discussions will cover a wide range of sectors, including trade and market access, fertiliser production and supply, investment, industrial cooperation, customs, agriculture and food safety, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, energy and mining, renewable energy, digital transformation, transport and logistics, AYUSH, tourism, education and skills.
The two countries are also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on food safety between Morocco’s National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The agreement will facilitate the exchange of information on the safety and quality of imported food products, food testing laboratories and analytical methods, besides promoting technical cooperation in import procedures, quality control, sampling, testing, packaging and labelling.
A Cultural Exchange Programme between India and Morocco for 2026-2030 is also expected to be signed during the Joint Commission meeting. The programme will promote exchanges of artists and professionals, participation in festivals and exhibitions, heritage conservation and stronger institutional linkages among museums, libraries and archival institutions.
India and Morocco have longstanding bilateral ties and significant scope for expanding trade and investment. Bilateral merchandise trade stood at around $4 billion in 2025. India’s key exports to Morocco include refined petroleum, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, synthetic textiles, food products and spices, while Morocco mainly exports phosphates and fertilisers to India.
During the visit, Prasada will hold bilateral and high-level meetings with senior Moroccan leaders and participate in the India-Morocco Joint Business Forum. He will also interact with business leaders in Rabat to explore new opportunities for trade, investment, partnerships and joint ventures.
–IANS
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