New Delhi (Defence Correspondent): The docking of Indian Naval Ship (INS) Tushil docked at Casablanca is being seen globally as significant move towards India and Morocco bolstering their bilateral relations. It also symbolises rising naval cooperation between India and Morocco as both the navies also plan to engage in an exercise to improve their combat cooperation.
The world also has all eyes set on the two-country meet, as this is the third time when an Indian naval ship has visited Casablanca within the past 12 months. Previously, INS Tarkash conducted a Maritime Patrol Exercise(MPX) with Royal Moroccan Naval Ship Hassan-II on July 26, 2022, off Port Casablanca. The exercise was aimed at strengthening maritime ties and enhancing inter-operability between the two Navies.
#INSTushil in Casablanca
Capt Peter Varghese, the Commanding Officer, called on Brigadier General Ahmed Kartouf, Commander of Weapons of Casablanca Area & senior Moroccan Military leadership & other key appointments of #RoyalMoroccanNavy. Issues of mutual interest and avenues… https://t.co/bSGEuHbgs1 pic.twitter.com/fx4UJvlrtv
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 29, 2024
Before that it was INS Tarkash that had visited Casablanca and Tangier Port in 2017 and 2019. INS Tabar had visited Casablanca for a technical port call in August 2021 and carried out PASSEX exercise with Royal Moroccan Navy.
This, experts believe is a move towards elevating mutual trust and interoperability between India and Morocco.
Casablanca is Morocco’s chief port, with the Port of Casablanca being one of the largest artificial ports in Africa, and the third-largest port in North Africa. Casablanca also hosts the primary naval base for the Royal Moroccan Navy.
Casablanca also is a significant financial centre. Many Moroccan companies and even many of the big American and European companies have their headquarters and main industrial facilities in Casablanca.
The recently held India-Morocco defence industry seminar in Rabat of Morocco, also focused on expanding defence cooperation, with Morocco offering a profitable, zero-bureaucracy environment for Indian companies.
Pitching Morocco as a gateway to Africa and Europe for Indian companies, Morocco’s in-charge of national defence too had recently stated that Morocco would like to offer state-of-the-art environment, zero bureaucracy, and profitability for Indian defence companies.
The minister went on to say that Morocco will support India if its initiates to expand its base in the country.
At the same time, India also believes that defence collaboration with global partners like Morocco will boost production capabilities through technological advancements, increased investment, and global collaboration, enhancing self-reliance.
Additionally, the Tata Group’s effort of establishing India’s first defence manufacturing facility in Morocco also significantly underscores India’s ambitious project of Make in India, enhancing its technological capabilities.
Defence experts believe that the increased cooperation with Morocco will further be aided with Morocco’s investor-friendly environment and its extensive network of Free Trade Agreements with over 80 countries. They also say that it only will open new markets for Indian defence exports, particularly in Africa and Europe where, the regions where bolstering trade would only mean financial growth for India.
Although it will get clear in time to come how the cooperation between the two countries sets in. But what is clear since the beginning of this bilateral set up is that the visit of third INS in a short span of time is undoubtedly being seen as a strategic move not just by India’s neighbours and its rivals but also by the major players on the African continent. And this may further shape up India’s increased outreach and interference in the defence and trade sectors on the continent.
