Rabat will now have military attachés in these two countries (Turkey and India), thus strengthening defense cooperation with two potential partners that will allow the Kingdom to continue the modernization of its armed forces.

Morocco has decided to add two military attachés to its diplomatic missions in New Delhi and Ankara. This Wednesday, during a Council of Ministers chaired by King Mohammed VI, Rabat confirmed this decision by adopting a draft decree which completes the existing legislation on the posts of military attachés, adding this post to the Moroccan embassies in Turkey. and in India.

A military attaché is a defense expert who is part of a diplomatic mission, the purpose of which is to assist the ambassador and to take care of bilateral relations in the military and defense field. He can in turn be accompanied by a team of assistant attachés specialized in different aspects, such as land, naval or air forces.

Rabat is rapidly increasing its military expenditure, which already accounts for 4% of its GDP, and is acquiring all types of foreign arms, while increasing collaboration and military exercises with other countries, with a view to strengthening its capacities vis-à-vis -Vis to Algeria. Today, the opening of these two new attaché offices will allow the Kingdom to increase its cooperation with two countries that can contribute to the modernization efforts of the Royal Armed Forces (RAF).

India is a growing weapons power. Narendra Modi’s government aims to develop India’s defense industry through the “Make in India” program, with the aim of reaching $5 billion in overseas arms sales by 2025. Although New Delhi has not figured prominently among Morocco’s main suppliers, this new export move could be beneficial for the Kingdom, which reportedly bought Indian Tata LPTA 2038 tactical transport trucks in May.

Turkey already has a developed defense industry and bilateral defense relations with Morocco are developing rapidly. The Alaouite kingdom has already acquired the services of the Turkish drone Bayraktar TB-2, which played a key role in Azerbaijan’s victory over Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh war, and is negotiating the purchase of various equipment from Eurasia, such as ARES 35 FPB patrol boats, ARES 80 SAT ships, Ejder Yalçın armored vehicles and T129 Atak attack helicopters.

Target civilian weapons
The Moroccan Council of Ministers has also given the green light to two other measures in the defense sector. First of all, a bill aimed at strengthening the control of civilian access to weapons, which, according to a press release from the Council of Ministers, aims to “modernize and improve the legal arsenal relating to firearms for civil” by creating an electronic register and increasing vigilance over their purchase, sale and possession.

The other piece of legislation concerns the control of the import and export of dual-use goods and services, that is, those which can be used for both civilian and military purposes. By this text, Rabat appointed government representatives to the Special Commission on these goods and established “the terms and conditions for granting, modifying, suspending and withdrawing export and import licenses”. In addition, this decree also lays down the procedures for designating the competent authorities to record these offences.