Morocco’s Ambassador to India, H.E. Mohamed Maliki, delves into the rapidly evolving relationship between the two nations. From trade and economic growth to defense collaboration, automotive partnerships, renewable energy, and cultural exchanges, he offers a comprehensive view of the diverse areas in which both countries are working together. In this interview with Manish Chand, CEO, Centre for Global India Insights and Editor-in-Chief, India and The World, Ambassador Maliki also touches upon the rich cultural connections between India and Morocco and discusses the increasing influence of both countries on the global stage, with India’s leadership in the Global South and Morocco’s strategic position as a gateway to Africa and Europe.
Q) What are the major focus areas India and Morocco are prioritising to enhance bilateral cooperation? How is the trade and economic relationship shaping up? What are the new frontiers? A) The evolution of relations between Morocco and India has witnessed tremendous growth since His Majesty King Mohammed VI’s visit in 2015. Whenever His Majesty travels to India, there is always something new that emerges. His official visit in 2001, the first-ever official visit to an Asian country after his enthronement, gave a significant impetus to ensure and help India reach its food security. This was a political decision, not based solely on trade and commerce. Since then, we have become a serious public investor in India, with our largest public investment in all of Asia being in India. This investment reflects the special relationship between the two countries.
When His Majesty visited in 2015, trade between Morocco and India stood at approximately $1–1.2 billion. By 2023, this had grown to $4.2 billion — a significant achievement considering the geographical distance and occasional language barriers. Trade includes key items such as fertilizers, phosphates, electrical products, car components, steel, and tires.
Morocco’s automotive industry has a rich tradition, dating back to 1949 with an assembly factory in Casablanca for the local market. Today, we produce more than 700,000 cars with projections of one million cars soon, with over 65% local integration. Additionally, we have developed a homegrown electric car created through a collaboration with a Moroccan innovator based in Italy. This includes a revolutionary hydrogen car with a unique concept of changing hydrogen capsules, solving the problem of expensive hydrogen recharging stations.
Morocco can create success stories, with the government focusing on key sectors and stakeholders facilitating these efforts. Our infrastructure has developed significantly in the last 10 years, resembling that of a developed country. We are also tailoring our ports to serve specific industries, including energy, transport, commerce, fisheries, mining, and fertilizers while providing comprehensive support for the automotive sector. Q) Defence cooperation between India and Morocco is growing. Morocco has already partnered with Tata Advanced Systems. The two countries also conduct joint maritime exercises. How do you look at the future of defence cooperation? A) Yes, defence cooperation is indeed growing. In 2015, during the historic meeting between His Majesty the King and the Prime Minister, they decided to elevate their relations into a strategic partnership. This partnership aims to strengthen traditional sectors and explore critical areas such as defence, cybersecurity, space, maritime security, and counter-terrorism cooperation.
Morocco is developing its defence industry, where India can play a potentially important role. India’s advancements in defence and competitive industrial components have been remarkable. Notably, Tata, a leading conglomerate, chose Morocco as the location for the first Indian defence factory established outside India. This demonstrates Morocco’s ability to meet high standards in defence and industrial facilitation.
Morocco has opened its industry to foreign investments, aiming to develop its own industry for internal use and exports. India has numerous possibilities to reach Africa, Europe, and even the American continent through Morocco, which has free trade agreements with many countries, including the European Union, the UK, and the USA. Morocco can act as a hub for Indian companies to export to third countries, leveraging our extensive free trade agreements. This hub status is already in effect, drawing interest from major players globally, including the US, Europe, UK, Russia, China, and, of course, India. Q) So, Morocco can act as a hub for export to third countries for Indian companies… A) Yes, Morocco is strategically located, and its hub status is gaining recognition. We are also working on the project of the longest undersea transmission pipe to the UK, supplying green energy to millions of households. Q) Morocco has done quite well in terms of renewable energy. How do you see the potential of bilateral cooperation in this area? A) Indeed, renewable energy constitutes 43% of our energy mix. There is significant scope for collaboration between India and Morocco in renewable energy, including in the International Solar Alliance. Morocco and India have ambitious programmes for Africa’s development and are willing to transfer technologies and launch joint initiatives for the continent’s electrification, industrial upgrades, and banking systems. India has a positive image in Africa and Morocco has strong integration and connectivity on the continent. Q) How does Morocco see India’s role in leading the global South and providing technology expertise for its transformation? A) India has emerged as a key global player and a strong advocate for the interests of the Global South. Its response during the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to secure the African Union’s inclusion in the G20 demonstrate this leadership. India is well-positioned to serve as a legitimate representative of the Global South in the changing geopolitical landscape. Morocco supports India for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. India’s leadership and technology expertise can significantly contribute to the transformation of the global South. Q) Morocco is seen as a “pro-West country” and has excellent relations with all major poles including India, China, the US, and Russia. How is Morocco manoeuvring these relations? Do you see any competition or rivalry between major powers for influence in Morocco and Africa at large? A) That is a very interesting question. It is simplistic to say that Morocco is “pro-West.” In fact, Morocco has been fairly independent in its decisions, always acting in its national interest. Through its historical background and achievements, Morocco has developed strong negotiating capabilities and resilience. We partner with countries within the framework of our interests. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Morocco made significant shifts in its foreign policy by diversifying its partners. While maintaining traditional partners, we also formed new alliances aligned with our foreign policy initiatives. India, along with Russia, China, Japan, Brazil, and others, became natural partners. The positive outcomes we see today result from this policy of diversification. India is emerging as a global player not only economically but also politically, addressing global issues such as counter-terrorism, maritime security, and fighting extremism. The world is increasingly uncertain, and India’s resilience is commendable.
Africa has become a battleground for major powers due to its natural resources, which unfortunately contribute to instability. Success in Africa brings competition, as other powers may not want you to succeed. This creates an imbalance in relations. Some powers have an interest in preventing success and democracy, as it reduces their influence. India has a positive image across Africa. India is widely respected for its cooperative approach, prioritizing collaboration over resource exploitation, which enhances its acceptance on the global stage.
In Morocco, for instance, China is investing significantly in the automotive industry, particularly in electric vehicle battery production, recognizing the country’s strategic position as a gateway to Europe. India as well should consider strengthening its presence in Morocco, leveraging the nation’s strategic location to foster mutually beneficial partnerships, particularly in emerging sectors like renewable energy and technology. Q) Morocco and India have a solid cultural connection, with Bollywood playing an important role. How do you see this soft power connection in terms of cultural exchanges and better understanding of each other’s values? 
A) May God bless his soul. Mr. Ratan Tata was a unique individual, and India lost an eminent personality. He always prioritized people over profits. I had a special relationship with him since 2017. When I first requested to meet him, it took several attempts due to his busy schedule. We finally met for what was supposed to be a 10-minutes meeting, but we ended up talking for an hour. This meeting marked the beginning of our close friendship. We also travelled to Morocco together, and he saw it as an important investment hub. My relationship with him was based on friendship, understanding, and generosity of spirit, rather than business. I have dedicated a chapter to our relationship in my upcoming book, and I am privileged that he contributed by writing the foreword.
