Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada is on an official visit to Morocco from August 24 to 25, with India-Morocco trade, investment and wider economic cooperation high on the agenda.

Prasada will co-chair the 7th Session of the India-Morocco Joint Commission with Omar Hejira, Morocco’s Secretary of State to the Minister of Industry and Trade in charge of Foreign Trade. The meeting is expected to review existing areas of bilateral economic cooperation and explore opportunities to diversify trade and improve market access.

The discussions are likely to cover a broad range of sectors, including trade, fertilizer production and supply, investment, industrial cooperation, customs, agriculture, food safety, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, energy, mining, renewable energy, digital transformation, transport and logistics. Cooperation in AYUSH, tourism, education and skill development is also expected to feature in the talks.

Food Safety Cooperation

A key outcome expected during the Joint Commission meeting is the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on food safety between Morocco’s National Office of Food Safety (ONSSA) and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

The proposed agreement is aimed at facilitating the exchange of information on the safety and quality of imported food products. It is also expected to encourage cooperation between food-testing laboratories and facilitate the sharing of expertise on analytical methods.

The agreement would provide scope for technical exchanges covering import procedures, quality-control operations, sampling, testing, packaging and labelling.

Cultural Cooperation

India and Morocco are also expected to sign a Cultural Exchange Programme covering the period from 2026 to 2030.

The programme is intended to strengthen cultural ties through exchanges of artists and professionals, participation in festivals and exhibitions, cooperation in heritage conservation and closer institutional links between museums, libraries and archival organisations.

Bilateral Trade Nears $4 Billion

India and Morocco have maintained longstanding economic ties, with bilateral merchandise trade reaching around $4 billion in 2025.

India’s major exports to Morocco include refined petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, vehicles, synthetic textiles, food products and spices. Morocco, meanwhile, is an important source of phosphates and fertilizers for India.

The focus on fertilizers assumes particular importance given their significance for India’s agricultural sector and food security. Expanding cooperation in fertilizer production and supply is therefore expected to be an important component of the economic discussions.

Business Community Engagement

During his visit, Prasada is also scheduled to hold bilateral and high-level meetings with senior Moroccan leaders. He will participate in the India-Morocco Joint Business Forum and interact with business representatives in Rabat.

The engagements are expected to focus on identifying opportunities for new investments, partnerships, joint ventures and greater business-to-business cooperation.

The two countries are also looking to expand their economic relationship beyond traditional trade areas, with sectors such as renewable energy, digital transformation, healthcare, logistics and industrial cooperation offering potential for deeper engagement.

70 Years of Diplomatic Ties

The visit comes ahead of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Morocco in 2027. Both countries are expected to use the milestone to further strengthen their longstanding partnership.

For India, Morocco also offers an important gateway to markets in Africa and beyond, while closer economic engagement could provide Moroccan businesses with greater access to the Indian market.

The August 24–25 visit is therefore expected to strengthen the institutional framework for bilateral economic cooperation and provide fresh momentum to trade, investment, industrial partnerships and business ties between the two countries.

In a historic first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lands in Bratislava to bolster Central European ties following high-level defense and open-source AI breakthroughs with President Macron.

 Marking a significant milestone in India’s foreign policy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Slovak capital of Bratislava early Sunday morning. The visit represents the first-ever bilateral trip by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the Central European nation gained independence in 1993.

Arriving from the French city of Nice after intensive bilateral talks, PM Modi was received at the airport by Slovak Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Juraj Blanár. In a traditional gesture of goodwill and hospitality, the Prime Minister was presented with the customary bread and salt, which he accepted with folded hands before interacting with members of the local Indian diaspora.

Direct Talks in Bratislava

The Prime Minister’s itinerary in Bratislava involves crucial high-level meetings with Slovak President Peter Pellegrini and Prime Minister Robert Fico. Diplomatic sources familiar with the matter indicate that discussions will focus heavily on expanding economic ties, engineering collaborations, and addressing labor shortages in the region.

With more than 9,200 Indian nationals currently residing in Slovakia—primarily employed in information technology, research and development, and automotive engineering—the talks are expected to streamline professional mobility within the Schengen Area.

Deepening the Trade Corridor

Slovakia’s heavy industrial footprint presents a lucrative ecosystem for Indian trade. The country is a manufacturing powerhouse, producing over one million passenger cars annually through factories operated by Volkswagen, Kia, Jaguar Land Rover, and Volvo. The automotive sector alone accounts for a striking 14% of Slovakia's GDP.

India-Slovakia Trade Overview (2025)

| Indian Exports to Slovakia           | Indian Imports from Slovakia          |

| Small car components, Mobile phones, | Finished cars, Heavy machinery,       |

| Textiles, Apparel                    | Integrated electronics, Rubber        |

| Total Bilateral Trade Volume: Approx. ₹17,000 crore                          |

With Slovakia's domestic working population shrinking by 15,000 to 20,000 people annually, local authorities have confirmed an increasing reliance on skilled foreign workers, a gap India aims to fill through formal institutional mechanisms.

Breakthroughs in French Riviera

The Slovak leg follows a highly successful diplomatic weekend in France, where PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron signed 13 major agreements in Nice. Accompanied by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the Indian delegation established a high-level Economic Security Dialogue designed to double bilateral trade over the next five years.

A major focus of the talks was the progress on the mega-deal for 114 Rafale fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force, valued at approximately ₹3.25 lakh crore. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri noted that New Delhi's focus remains firmly on 'Make in India', seeking a complete transfer of technology, source code customization for domestic missile integration, and joint manufacturing.

The Third AI Alternative

In a significant departure from existing global technology paradigms, India and France announced a joint initiative to develop an open-source Artificial Intelligence model. The move aims to offer a democratic alternative to the profit-driven American model and the state-controlled Chinese framework.

"A decade ago, India was viewed merely as a technology adopter," Prime Minister Modi remarked during the launch of the 'Bharat Innovates 2026' programme in Nice. "Today, the nation stands as a technology provider and a generator of global solutions."

President Macron lauded India’s engineering depth, pointing out that India produces more than one million engineers annually—a talent pool comparable to the United States and Europe combined.

Eyes on Evian G7

Following his engagements in Bratislava, the Prime Minister will return to France to attend the G7 Summit in the lakeside town of Evian, hosted under the French presidency. Although India is not a formal member of the Group of Seven, it has been invited as a special guest nation, reflecting its position as a major global economy.

The Evian summit is set to tackle complex geopolitical flashpoints, including the ongoing Ukraine war, Middle East security challenges across Gaza and Lebanon, and international AI governance frameworks. While on the sidelines of the summit, PM Modi is also expected to hold a highly anticipated bilateral meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss global trade imbalances and regional security.