India, Morocco exchange views on challenges to counter-terrorism, discuss ways to strengthen cooperation
New Delhi, June 22
India and Morocco held the 2nd meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism on Monday. During the discussions, the two sides discussed threats posed by terrorist groups globally and in their respective regions and exchanged views on current and emerging challenges to counter-terrorism.
Sharing the details in an official statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the two sides also exchanged views on countering violent extremism and radicalisation, combating financing of terrorism, preventing use of technology for terrorist purposes, the nexus between transnational organised crime and terrorism and the global movement of terrorists.
The meeting was co-chaired by Vinod Bahade, Joint Secretary (Counter Terrorism) in the Ministry of External Affairs of India and Hicham Baali, Head of the National Judicial Police Brigade at the Directorate General of the National Police of the Kingdom of Morocco.
"Both sides unequivocally and strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism. They further condemned the heinous terrorist attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, India, and the terror incident on 10 November 2025 near the Red Fort, New Delhi," the statement said.
It further noted that India and Morocco also deliberated upon measures to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the sphere of counter-terrorism through information sharing, capacity building and sharing of best practices. They further re-affirmed commitment to strengthening cooperation in multilateral fora, including the UN, FATF and GCTF.
The statement said that the two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the Joint Working Group in Morocco on a mutually convenient date.
India and Morocco have longstanding ties across several fronts.
Last year, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan held a bilateral meeting with Rear Admiral Mohamed Tahin, Inspector General of the Royal Moroccan Navy, reaffirming the steady progress in India-Morocco defence cooperation.
According to the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff, the interaction focused on expanding avenues for defence exports, boosting collaboration among defence industries, and improving operational linkages through joint and multilateral exercises. The two sides also discussed ways to deepen maritime security cooperation.
The talks reviewed mechanisms for capacity building, streamlined information sharing and cooperation in emerging domains. India reiterated its support to the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces through military training, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercises, specialised courses and professional military education.
Both sides expressed their commitment to developing a long-term framework to strengthen practical cooperation, enhance capabilities, and build mutually beneficial defence partnerships.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Finally some concrete steps! The Red Fort incident shook the entire nation. It's high time we strengthen cooperation with African nations. But I hope this isn't just another photo-op meeting - we need real results on the ground, especially regarding cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.
As someone who works in international security, this is a smart move by India. Morocco has strong counter-terrorism experience dealing with extremism in North Africa. The information sharing and capacity building aspects are crucial - terrorism is a global problem requiring global solutions.
Why are we always talking about counter-terrorism with other countries but never naming the real perpetrators? Everyone knows who is behind the Pahalgam and Red Fort attacks. This diplomatic language is getting old. We need action, not just statements condemning "all forms of terrorism."
Happy to see our defence ties expanding beyond the usual partners. Morocco is a key player in North Africa and the Arab world. The maritime security cooperation is particularly important given our Indian Ocean interests. Keep it up, MEA! 🙌
While this is positive, I worry about the cost of these working groups and military collaborations. Are we getting value for money? Also, counter-terrorism measures must not come at the cost of civil liberties. We've seen how security laws can be misused in India.
K We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.