This article covers cultural relations between India and Morocco, including film, music and dance, festivals and yoga, scholarships and education links, cooperation between think tanks and the Indian community in Morocco. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of April 2026.
Interest in Indian culture
According to the MEA brief of April 2026, there is a deep-seated and abiding interest in Indian art and culture throughout Morocco. The brief states that Hindi cinema enjoys immense popularity, with Moroccan television channels regularly broadcasting Indian feature films.
Links between the two countries are old. The brief traces them to the 14th-century travels of Ibn Batuta, as described in the relations article of this guide.
Cultural Exchange Programmes
Under a formal agreement for cultural cooperation, the two countries regularly sign Cultural Exchange Programmes (CEP). These facilitate the exchange of artists who present the different forms of Indian classical music and dance.
ICCR-sponsored troupes frequently visit Morocco to take part in events such as the Fez Festival of Sufi Culture, which is held every year in October.
Festivals and community events
The Embassy of India works with local Indo-Moroccan organisations, which are named in the practical article of this guide, to celebrate major festivals such as Holi and Diwali.
Other events marked by the Embassy include Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Hindi Diwas and National Unity Day. Flagship festivals such as Namaste India and the Festival of India are organised in partnership with local cultural institutions. The Mission also held a wide range of activities to commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Deepavali at the Chellah site
The brief records that the Embassy recently hosted a cultural celebration at the UNESCO-listed Chellah Archaeological Site. It marked the inscription of Deepavali on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The event also promoted various Indian states. It brought together senior officials from Morocco's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, members of the diplomatic corps and Moroccan cultural figures.
Yoga
The brief states that yoga continues to gain significant traction in Morocco. Every year on the International Day of Yoga, the Embassy organises sessions at well-known locations in cities including Rabat, Casablanca, Kenitra, Marrakech, Meknes and Tangier, working with local yoga organisations and practitioners.
Scholarships and study in India
Moroccan students regularly use the ICCR Africa Scholarship Scheme to study at Indian educational institutions, which the brief describes as premier institutions.
Professional training for Moroccan officials under ITEC and at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service is covered in the development article of this guide.
Education links
Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (IC) for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Education, took part in the 3rd GITEX Africa in Marrakech in April 2025. There he held bilateral meetings with Prof. Azzedine El Midaoui (Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research & Innovation), Mr. Younes Sekkouri (Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment & Skills) and Mr. Mohamed Saad Berrada (Minister of National Education, Preschool & Sports).
Think tanks
The brief describes the engagement between Indian and Moroccan think tanks as deep and productive. The Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) has a formal partnership, through an MoU, with the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies (IRES).
Morocco's Policy Center for the New South (PCNS) has links with Indian institutions including the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) and the RIS Global South Centre of Excellence, and is a member of DAKSHIN. The PCNS is a regular participant in the Raisina Dialogue, publishes policy papers on India-centric subjects and collaborates with Gateway House and ICRIER.
The Indian community
As of April 2026, the brief puts the Indian community in Morocco at approximately 1,350 members. Its core consists of established merchants in the textiles, garments and industrial sectors.
The community lives mainly in Casablanca, which the brief calls the commercial hub, and in the port city of Tangier. Over the last decade it has grown as Indian entrepreneurs have increasingly set up manufacturing and business units in the Free Zones near Casablanca and Tangier.