India's naval ship, INS Tamal, successfully wraps up port stay in Casablanca, reinforcing India-Morocco naval connections
The Indian Navy's stealth frigate, INS Tamal, concluded a three-day port visit to Casablanca, Morocco, from August 6 to August 9, 2025. This visit marked the third Indian naval ship’s call at Casablanca in the last two years, reflecting a deepening maritime partnership and defence engagement between India and Morocco.
INS Tamal’s 2025 Port Visit to Casablanca
Commissioned in Russia on July 1, INS Tamal is transiting back to its Indian base via multiple European and Asian ports. During its stay in Casablanca, extensive bilateral naval cooperation activities were held. These included bilateral discussions with senior Moroccan naval officials, cross-deck visits to exchange operational knowledge, joint maritime exercises (PASSEX) with the Moroccan Navy’s Mohammed VI frigate, and cultural and sports engagements promoting camaraderie and cultural ties.
High-level interactions included meetings with key Moroccan naval officers such as Captain Rachid Sadrhazi (1st Naval Base Commander) and Rear Admiral Mohamed Tahin, alongside the Indian Ambassador to Morocco, facilitating dialogue on enhanced defence collaboration.
Growing Strategic and Defence Cooperation
India and Morocco's defence cooperation has been growing steadily, with formal agreements on security cooperation, mutual legal assistance, and cybersecurity starting around 2018. The maritime relationship has expanded with multiple port visits and joint exercises in recent years, with INS Tamal’s 2025 visit continuing this trend.
These naval interactions are part of broader bilateral ties, including trade and technology agreements, highlighting Morocco as a gateway to Africa and a partner in regional stability. Cooperation covers counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and defence investments, including Moroccan acquisitions of Indian military equipment.
The Ministry of Defence's Perspective
The Ministry of Defence stated that the Casablanca port call is a reflection of India's broader commitment to deepening bilateral ties with Morocco. The engagements included bilateral discussions, cross-deck visits, friendly sports fixtures, yoga sessions, and cultural exchanges, all aimed at fostering closer collaboration with the Royal Moroccan Navy.
The PASSEX exercise aimed to strengthen operational understanding and coordination between the two navies. INS Tamal and Royal Moroccan Navy Ship Mohammed VI conducted the Passage Exercise (PASSEX) during the port call. The visit furthered bilateral ties across the spectrum, as the ship will visit multiple European and Asian ports en route to its home base in India.
In the realm of sports, friendly matches between INS Tamal crew and their Moroccan counterparts were organized during the port visit, fostering camaraderie and cultural ties.
Apart from the sports engagements, the Indian Ministry of Defence also emphasized the importance of casino-games and casino-and-gambling regulations in their discussions with Moroccan officials, expressing interest in mutual collaborations in these areas.
The sports-betting market could potentially witness growth, given the increased strategic and defence cooperation between India and Morocco, as discussions on defence investments and acquisitions of military equipment are underway.
