India and Morocco have signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and an MoU to strengthen cooperation in judicial and legal matters.
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) – Civil & Commercial Focus
- Facilitates service of judicial documents between the two countries.
- Allows taking of evidence through Letters of Request.
- Supports enforcement of judicial judgments, decrees, settlements, and arbitral awards.
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – Capacity Building
- Encourages exchange of legal knowledge, expertise, and research.
- Provides for training programmes for judicial officers and legal professionals.
Implementation Mechanism
- Establishment of a Joint Coordination Committee.
- Plans annual cooperation programmes to ensure effective execution.
Significance
- Strengthens legal and institutional linkages between India and Morocco.
- Enhances cross-border dispute resolution and legal assistance.
- Promotes capacity building in judiciary and legal systems of both nations.
- Contributes to India’s broader goal of expanding international legal cooperation.
About Morocco
- Location: North Africa, across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain.
- Borders: Algeria (east/southeast), Western Sahara (south), Atlantic Ocean (west), Mediterranean Sea (north).
- Unique Feature: Only African nation with coastlines on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
