Following in Morocco's footsteps, Algeria tries to win over the Indian military industry
Back in October 2024, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, traveled to Algiers for discussions with General Chengriha. The following month, General Chengriha hosted his Indian counterpart, General Anil Chauhan, in Algeria.
Algeria is keen to follow Morocco's lead in establishing an Indian military industry within its borders. In September, Morocco signed an agreement with the Indian conglomerate TATA to locally produce WhAP 8×8 land combat vehicles. This initiative was further bolstered in December by the visit of a delegation of Indian military industry companies to Rabat.
In a recent interview with the French daily L'Opinion, the Algerian president described the relationship with Morocco, which has been severed since August 2021, as «a game of chess in which we are forced to respond to acts that we deem hostile».
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Morocco World
a day ago
- Morocco World
Boualem Sansal Won't Appeal Five-Year Sentence in Algeria, Hopes for Pardon
Rabat – French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal will not appeal his five-year prison sentence in Algeria, France 24 reported today. The report quoted 'sources close to the author' as saying that they are hopeful for a presidential pardon. The 80-year-old writer was jailed in March for comments he made about Algeria's borders with Morocco, which the government considered an attack on national unity. The case against him began after he spoke to French outlet Frontières. In the interview, he said that France had unfairly given Moroccan land to Algeria during the colonial era. Sansal was arrested in November 2024 when he arrived at the airport in Algiers. In March 2025, a court in Dar El Beida sentenced him to five years in prison and gave him a fine of 500,000 Algerian dinars (about $3,730). He was charged with undermining Algeria's territorial integrity. An Algerian appeals court confirmed the sentence on July 1. Now, according to his support committee, Sansal has decided not to take the case to Algeria's Supreme Court. Noëlle Lenoir, head of the support committee and a former French government minister, told France Inter radio that the decision not to appeal was based on the poor state of the Algerian justice system. 'He has no chance of having his offence reclassified,' she said. 'This means the sentence is final.' His French lawyer declined to comment, but France 24 said sources confirmed Sansal has officially given up his right to appeal. French Prime Minister François Bayrou has expressed hope that Algeria will pardon the writer. Sansal, who has been receiving treatment for prostate cancer, was not included in the recent mass pardon by Algeria's president ahead of the country's Independence Day, which is today. 'We believe he will be released. It is impossible for Algeria to take responsibility for his death in prison,' Lenoir added. Sansal is a well-known figure in North African literature and has won several awards for his writing. He is famous for his criticism of the Algerian authorities. Tags: AlgerianBoualem Sansalprison
Ya Biladi
a day ago
- Ya Biladi
Mélenchon backtracks on Western Sahara, distances himself from Macron
The leader of La France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has reiterated his stance on the Western Sahara issue. «The position of the Insoumise movement, and mine, has always been this: that of the United Nations, no more, no less. No French interference! End of story», he wrote on X on Friday, July 4. This statement marks a step back from a more nuanced position Mélenchon had adopted during a visit to areas affected by the Al Haouz earthquake on October 4, 2023. At the time, he acknowledged the existence of «new parameters [regarding the Sahara issue] that the French should perhaps consider more carefully. The positions of the United States, Israel, and Spain have shifted global perceptions of this issue. I hope my country understands this and avoids turning it into a point of tension with Morocco». His comments came nine months before French President Emmanuel Macron officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in a message sent to King Mohammed VI on July 30, 2024. Amid backlash over Delogu's visit to Algeria Mélenchon's renewed position comes amid controversy surrounding remarks made by his party colleague Sébastien Delogu during a recent trip to Algeria. In an interview with an official French-language outlet, Delogu expressed being «extremely disappointed» by Senate President Gérard Larcher's visit to Laayoune on February 26. «On the highly sensitive issue of Western Sahara, I stand behind the United Nations, which is already leading a process to call for a referendum so the people on the ground can express their right to self-determination. I support these institutions», he said. Delogu also argued that France's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara contradicts «international legality», while omitting the fact that recent UN resolutions no longer refer to a referendum. On Friday, Delogu responded on X to «the controversies launched by the right and far right» over his trip to Algeria. On Western Sahara, he clarified: «I have always stood by international law and its competent bodies to resolve border disputes peacefully», this time without mentioning a referendum or self-determination. Even before Delogu's trip, another LFI lawmaker accused the French government last January of «multiplying provocations and threats against Algeria, particularly concerning Western Sahara, in contradiction with international law», a statement that was met with applause from members of Mélenchon's parliamentary group. It was a rare public stance from La France Insoumise, which had remained largely silent for months following President Macron's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, a decision swiftly condemned by the Socialist Party, the Communist Party, and the Greens on July 30, 2024.
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
Anti-Muslim Acts in France Increase by 75%, Attacks on Individuals Triple
Cologne – The French Interior Ministry has reported a dramatic surge in anti-Muslim incidents in the first five months of 2025, with a 75% increase compared to the same period last year. Violence targeting individuals has more than tripled, which raises fresh concerns about rising hostility toward religious minorities in the country. From January through May, authorities recorded 145 anti-Muslim acts, up from 83 in 2024. The majority were direct assaults on people — 99 cases in total, compared to just 32 last year. These now represent more than two-thirds of all Islamophobic acts. The data confirms a sharp escalation in attacks that are no longer limited to property or insults, but often turn violent. One case in particular shook the nation. In late April, Aboubakar Cissé, a young Malian man, was killed inside a mosque in southern France. His death sparked a wave of shock and sorrow, highlighting the vulnerability of Muslim communities amid growing tensions. While Islamophobic acts have surged, antisemitic incidents, though fewer than in 2024, remain at a high level. Between January and May, 504 such acts were recorded, down from 662 the previous year. However, this still marks a 134% rise compared to the same period in 2023. The Interior Ministry pointed out the 'very high level' of antisemitic incidents. Most, 64%, targeted individuals, with 323 personal attacks logged. Among the victims was Rabbi Elie Lemmel, assaulted twice this spring. He attended the annual dinner of the CRIF (Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France), where his presence drew long applause. Christians, too, have faced growing hostility. Authorities counted 322 anti-Christian acts so far in 2025, compared to 284 last year, a 13% increase. Most involved damage to churches and religious sites, with 271 cases representing 84% of the total. But violence against individuals has also nearly doubled, with 51 cases reported in just five months. France, where nearly 9% of the population is Muslim, also hosts Europe's largest Jewish community, with around half a million people, less than 1% of the population. Despite the relatively small size of these communities, the number of reported incidents paints a stark picture. The figures released this week point to a climate of hostility that is far from marginal. Religious leaders, community advocates, and many citizens are demanding stronger measures to protect those targeted and to reaffirm the Republic's promise of equality and safety for all.
