India and Morocco Hold Inaugural Joint Defence Committee Meeting to Expand Military and Defence Industry Cooperation
The inaugural Joint Defence Committee (JDC) meeting between India and Morocco took place in New Delhi on September 8, 2026, marking a significant milestone in bilateral strategic ties as both nations approach the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027. The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary (International Cooperation) in India's Ministry of Defence, and Brigadier General Abdellah Athmani, Chief of the 2nd Bureau of the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces.
Delegations from both countries engaged in comprehensive discussions covering training and education, peacekeeping operations, joint military exercises, medical cooperation, cyber defence, and defence industrial collaboration. A key focus of the talks was exploring avenues for co-production, joint ventures, technology partnerships, maintenance, and sustainment to leverage India's expanding defence manufacturing infrastructure.
During their visit from September 7 to 10, the Moroccan delegation paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial and interacted with defence public sector units at DPSU Bhawan. They also visited the 505 Army Base Workshop to inspect Indian tank overhaul and engineering capabilities and scheduled a visit to the Army Hospital (Research & Referral) to review military healthcare capabilities. The Joint Defence Committee stems from a bilateral defence cooperation Memorandum of Understanding signed in September 2025, providing a structured mechanism to enhance long-term security and industrial cooperation between India and North Africa.
