Defence diplomacy has become key to India’s external engagements in recent years. India, primarily a major defence importer, is now taking steps towards employing multi-dimensional aspects of defence engagements while interacting with countries worldwide. Apart from joint military exercises and patrols, India’s defence cooperation has come to include defence exports, joint manufacturing of defence equipment, and capacity building in the form of training foreign military personnel. India is further strengthening its defence profile at the international level by appointing defence attachés to several countries, including African countries as well as Poland, Armenia and the Philippines.
Among India’s growing worldwide defence engagements, Africa has received special attention. Recognising the strategic importance of Africa, India has established an institutional mechanism in the form of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue and conducts joint military exercises with several African countries. As India continues to deepen its defence engagements with Africa, Morocco could play an important role in forwarding India’s strategic interests in Africa.
Parallel to India’s quest for gaining a foothold in Africa, Morocco has been charting the course to achieve military independence. It implies that Morocco is working towards developing its military-industrial complex. Morocco has authorised the setting up of two military industry zones to develop and produce military equipment for bolstering national defence. These zones will focus on attracting foreign investments to develop domestic capabilities to manufacture weapons and ammunition. For this purpose, Morocco has raised its defence budget to $12.2 billion for the fiscal year 2024. Morocco’s bid for developing its military industry is concomitant to its efforts of the past few years to upgrade its military and diversify its security partners. Morocco, which depends on the United States for most of its defence supplies, would expect to strengthen defence ties with other countries by focusing on developing a domestic defence industry.
Recognising the strategic importance of Africa, India has established an institutional mechanism in the form of the India-Africa Defence Dialogue. India also conducts joint military exercises with several African countries. As India continues to deepen its defence engagements with Africa, Morocco could play an important role in forwarding India’s strategic interests in Africa
Morocco’s plan for developing its military industry is an opportunity for India to boost its ties with the North African nation. Already the two countries are taking steps to strengthen their defence cooperation. In 2023, Morocco acquired 92 LPTA 244 six-wheeled military trucks from India, manufactured by Indian defence manufacturer Tata Advanced System. These trucks can be configured for various applications such as a common gun tower, a multi-barrel rocket launcher and a missile firing unit.
Further, multiple memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed between India and Morocco in 2018 provide the base for expanding the defence cooperation between the two countries. The areas in which these MoUs were signed include hydrography, peacekeeping, IT and communications, counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency, peaceful usage of outer space and cyber-security. India should strengthen its defence ties with Morocco by cooperating in two domains.
First is exploring the export or joint manufacture of military hardware and equipment. In the past few years, along with focusing on domestic defence production, India promoted its defence exports. India is currently exporting its locally manufactured defence products to 85 countries. Over 100 Indian companies are exporting defence products such as personal protective gear, rockets, armoured vehicles, offshore patrol vessels, radars, surveillance systems, ammunition and 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Guns. Besides, an increasing number of countries are showing interest in products such as BrahMos Missiles, LCA Tejas, light combat helicopters, and aircraft carriers. Morocco could explore the possibility of either acquiring these defence equipment or jointly manufacturing them.
Further, India could benefit from Morocco’s target to become a leading drone manufacturer in North Africa. Morocco, in collaboration with Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems, is set to develop a drone manufacturing facility in Morocco. The drone industry in India is still in an emerging phase. It is expected that the Indian drone industry will grow from $654 million in 2024 to $1.44 billion by 2029. Morocco could be a favourable destination for the Indian drone industry to develop. Both countries could consider setting up an Indian drone manufacturing facility in the country.
Second is capacity-building in the area of cyber-security. Morocco, like most of the African countries, is in the process of developing digital infrastructure. However, it does not have resources. While taking strides in developing its information technology field, Morocco faces significant challenges in combating cyber threats. According to a report by Russian cyber-security company Kaspersky, Morocco is the 15th most vulnerable country in the world to cyber-attacks. In North Africa, Morocco ranked third after Algeria and Tunisia.
For India, cyber-security is not only a major means of enhancing its defence cooperation with Morocco but it is also a counter to China’s continuously growing influence in Morocco and other African countries. Morocco was the first African country to become a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) project. When China introduced the Digital Silk Road (DSR) as BRI’s component in 2015, Morocco saw it as an opportunity to develop its digital infrastructure. However, Morocco’s cyberspace has not been safe from China-based hackers. China’s participation in the construction of digital infrastructure allows it to access sensitive data of the host country.
India could benefit from Morocco’s target to become a leading drone manufacturer in North Africa. Morocco, in collaboration with Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems, is set to develop a drone manufacturing facility in the country
Morocco initially considered closer ties with China as a bargaining chip against the European Union (EU). However, China’s inroads, particularly in Morocco’s digital domain, pose significant security risks for Morocco. To reduce the risks associated with China’s DSR, Morocco should look forward to strengthening partnerships with countries like India in the cyber-security domain.
Morocco’s importance for India is not just for forwarding the latter’s defence diplomacy but also to expand India’s outreach to North Africa, which remains a lesser-focused entity in India’s foreign policy if not neglected. Within North Africa, most of India’s engagements have been with Egypt. Closer engagements with Morocco facilitate expansion of India’s defence diplomacy beyond Egypt which is concomitant to India’s accelerated defence diplomacy across Africa.
For Morocco, building strong ties with India would diversify its foreign engagements. Morocco’s foreign engagements have traditionally revolved around the Arab world, Africa and Europe with an orientation towards the Atlantic. However, with a focus on defence, Morocco can now expect an expansion of its external engagements and build closer ties with India.
–-The writer is an Independent Political Analyst and Researcher based in Vadodara. Follow him on Twitter: @NiranjanMarjani. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
–The writer is an Independent Political Analyst and Researcher based in Vadodara. Follow him on Twitter: @NiranjanMarjani. The views expressed are of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda
