What happened?
The Kingdom of Morocco is seeking direct air connectivity with the Republic of India to support the rise in trade and tourism. While the share of Indian nationals in total arrivals is small, it is growing rapidly. Over 40,000 Indian citizens visited Morocco in 2024, marking a 43% increase compared to 2023. Indian arrivals in the country have risen by 150% compared to 2019.
Why it matters to India:
Morocco has emerged as a key supplier of phosphate-based fertilisers to India in recent years. Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) announced the establishment of a plant in Morocco in September 2024 to produce wheeled armoured platforms. Travel between the two countries is increasing, and discussions on direct flights have gathered momentum. Alongside tourism, Morocco also seeks more Indian investments in defence, information technology (IT), and logistics. It is exploring the export of fruits to India to diversify trade. Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $2.4 billion in FY 2023–24, with faster growth in Indian exports.