New Delhi [India], September 24 (ANI): Morocco's Secretary of State to the Ministry of Industry, Omar Hejira, emphasised the importance of strengthening India-Morocco relations during his visit to Delhi, underscoring Morocco's strategic position and potential for deeper economic ties.

'My visit to India is important to improve the relation between India and Morocco,' Hejira said while speaking to ANI, highlighting the growing scope for bilateral cooperation.

Explaining Morocco's relevance for India, he added, 'Why Morocco is important for India is because it is strategically located and has links with African and European countries and also has a free trade agreement with the US and African as well as Arab countries.'

Hejira noted that he was accompanied by a strong delegation, underlining the seriousness of the outreach.

Extending an invitation for further engagement, he remarked, 'Any delegation from India is welcome to come to Morocco and explore it.'

Building on Hejira's outreach, Morocco's Ambassador to India, Mohamed Maliki, stated on Wednesday that Morocco is actively working to balance its trade with India and is also looking at expanding cooperation across several key sectors.

Speaking to ANI at the sidelines of the Millennial India International Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture Conference, Maliki said, 'We are working on the trade deficit. Of course, it's in the best interests of Morocco, but I'm quite sure that there are many ways of balancing this trade. It will just take place very soon, I'm sure.'

The Ambassador underlined Morocco's role in India's food security through the supply of fertilisers. 'We are a very large contributor to the security of India, and that's through the fertilisers. It's quite important for India for security,' he said.

He further noted that both countries share a similar outlook on keeping their economies open. 'I think both Morocco and India are very open countries, very open economies, and then protectionism is not a very long solution because it all depends on the dynamics of the markets,' he explained. He added that meeting needs, attracting investments and creating opportunities require open economies.

Linking this momentum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Voice of the South' initiative, the Ambassador said, 'If you remember that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was holding the Voice of the South, explains and then speaks about the opportunities that should be explored between developing countries. So I think we should see it as an opportunity as well for us.'

Highlighting the Arab region's importance, he continued, 'The main objective is to develop more trade and exchange and business opportunities between the Arab world and India. India is a significant partner, a reliable one, and also boasts a robust economy. And then the Arab world is growing, there are great necessities, and lots of very good opportunities for investments.'

He further said the delegation is being led by the Secretary of State, a member of the King's cabinet, reflecting the importance of its ties with New Delhi.

On the strategic front, Maliki highlighted defence cooperation, citing a recent achievement. He noted that India's Ministry of Defence had just been in Morocco, where they inaugurated the country's first defence facility outside India. This milestone, he said, signifies a high level of strategic partnership and trust between the two nations, particularly in the defence industry sector.

Looking ahead, he emphasised that many opportunities remain untapped. 'There are so many opportunities that have not been exploited that we will need to exploit and then meeting people all together, helping to do all these things,' he added. (ANI)