Home > Features > What to Know About India’s New Tata Armored Vehicle Plant in Morocco
The plant, which officially opened on Tuesday, is India’s first overseas defense manufacturing unit – and Morocco’s most ambitious foray into localized defense production.
Marrakech – Morocco and India have taken a historic step in their fast-deepening partnership with the inauguration of Tata Advanced Systems Maroc (TASM), a defense manufacturing facility in Berrechid.
The plant, which officially opened on Tuesday, is India’s first overseas defense manufacturing unit – and Morocco’s most ambitious foray into localized defense production.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and Morocco’s Abdeltif Loudyi, Minister Delegate in charge of National Defense Administration, jointly presided over the opening ceremony, alongside Moroccan Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour and Tata Advanced Systems CEO Sukaran Singh.
For both sides, this factory is more than an industrial site: it is a symbol of strategic convergence, economic opportunity, and geopolitical signaling.
Singh, addressing the inauguration, called the facility “a new chapter in the strategic partnership between India and Morocco.” He expressed gratitude to King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government for their backing of the venture, describing the project as “not merely an investment, but a lasting commitment to innovation and shared development.”
The plant will produce the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8 combat vehicles – designed by Tata Advanced Systems in collaboration with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) – for Morocco’s Armed Forces (FAR) as well as export markets across Africa.
Initial deliveries to the FAR are scheduled within 18 months, with production scaling to 100 vehicles annually within three years.
Beyond manufacturing, the site is intended as a regional hub for research, design, and defense technology innovation. It will attract Moroccan engineers, provide advanced training, and integrate local suppliers into a high-value industrial ecosystem.
Singh stressed that the initiative will also “inspire young talent in India and Morocco to work together in building a secure and innovative future.”
Strategic context: Morocco’s push for defense autonomy
The Berrechid plant fits squarely into Morocco’s broader strategy of building an indigenous defense industry. In June, Rabat adopted legislation aimed at stimulating local defense manufacturing – a move meant to reduce reliance on imports and anchor high-tech industries domestically.
For decades, Morocco relied heavily on foreign suppliers, particularly the United States and France. While those partnerships remain strong (Morocco is a Major Non-NATO US Ally and a major buyer of American F-16V fighters, AH-64E Apaches, and HIMARS rocket systems), the government has moved to diversify suppliers and develop local production capacity.
The goal is to gradually secure industrial and technological autonomy, create skilled jobs, and open export markets in Africa and beyond.
TASM is a cornerstone of this vision. Located in Berrechid’s industrial zone, the 20,000 m² facility was greenlit by a tripartite investment convention in September 2024, involving Morocco’s Defense Administration, India’s Ministry of Defence, and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL). The project includes fiscal and customs incentives to accelerate the development of Morocco’s defense ecosystem.
The inauguration follows years of steadily growing ties. Since King Mohammed VI’s landmark visit to India in 2015, the multisectoral bilateral relations have expanded across renewable energy, fertilizers, IT, and tourism.
Defense cooperation has now been elevated to match the momentum of ties. India views Morocco as a strategic gateway to Africa and Europe. In turn, Morocco positions India as a reliable Asian anchor in an increasingly multipolar world.
Even last June, rumors in Indian media suggested a possible visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Rabat. Though it never materialized, the speculation itself underscored Morocco’s weight within the South-South cooperation framework.
In this context, defense industrialization emerges not merely as a technical partnership but as part of a larger geopolitical convergence: Morocco and India aligning their ambitions to craft alternative poles of influence, reduce dependency on traditional powers, and project stability across the Global South.
What the plant will deliver
The facility’s initial production run will focus on the WhAP 8×8, also known as the Kestrel. This amphibious infantry fighting vehicle measures 7.8 meters long, 2.96 meters wide, and 2.28 meters high, with a combat weight of 25-26 tons. It accommodates a crew of three (commander, gunner, driver) plus nine infantry troops.
Powered by a Cummins ISX 600 turbocharged diesel engine delivering 600 horsepower and 2,400 Nm of torque, the WhAP reaches 110 km/h on roads and 10 km/h in water, propelled by dual hydrojets. Its eight-wheel drive and hydropneumatic suspension allow high mobility across diverse terrains, even with tire punctures thanks to run-flat capability.
The vehicle’s modular armor meets NATO STANAG 4569 standards, with protection scalable from Level I to Level V, and blast resistance up to Level III. This protects crews against small arms fire, shell fragments, and landmines.
Armament options vary: a remote-controlled Elbit Systems turret, a Kongsberg MCT-30R with 30 mm Bushmaster Mk44, coaxial 7.62 mm FN Herstal machine gun, six 81 mm smoke grenade launchers, and optional Konkurs-M or Javelin anti-tank missile launchers. This range enables missions from infantry support and reconnaissance to armored vehicle destruction.
Numbers that matter: Jobs, integration, exports
The Berrechid plant begins with an ambitious local integration plan: 35% of components sourced in Morocco at launch, scaling to 50% over time through supplier development and workforce training. Moroccan technicians are already being trained in India to meet this benchmark.
Employment impact is significant: 90 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs in the first phase, with expansion expected as production scales. This makes the project both a defense milestone and an economic engine for the region.
Output capacity is set at 100 vehicles annually by 2028, with the FAR receiving priority deliveries. Beyond Morocco, the factory will target African clients, positioning the North African country as a hub for advanced military mobility systems. Tata executives have described the plant as both a Moroccan anchor and an African springboard.
Diplomatic significance: Beyond industry
The factory’s opening carried diplomatic weight. Singh’s two-day visit to Morocco included high-level meetings with Loudyi and Industry Minister Mezzour, culminating in the signing of a new defense cooperation agreement.
The accord covers joint training, cyber defense, military health, and industrial collaboration – expanding cooperation beyond armored vehicles into a broader defense partnership.
For India, this marks the realization of its “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision: not only self-reliance in defense but the capacity to supply allies abroad. For Morocco, it confirms its ambition to become a regional defense hub, reducing vulnerability to supply-chain disruptions while building industrial expertise.
Analysts also see geopolitical layers. With India facing trade tensions with Washington, New Delhi is diversifying its alliances, and Morocco is emerging as a gateway partner for Africa and Europe. At the same time, Morocco is hedging its reliance on traditional suppliers, adding India and Turkey to a roster that already includes the US and European states.
Indeed, the inauguration is part of a larger North African arms-industry trend. Earlier this year, Turkish defense firm Baykar announced plans to open a Moroccan subsidiary focused on drone production and military technology development.
Similarly, in April 2024, Israeli company BlueBird Aero Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), confirmed plans to establish a drone factory in Morocco. The facility will focus on tactical UAVs such as the WanderB and ThunderB, following the 2020 renewal of ties with the Hebrew state.
Together, these moves complement Morocco’s effort to attract a diverse set of global defense players and avoid dependence on a single source.
The partnership also dovetails with Morocco’s role as a trusted Western ally – hosting US-led “African Lion” exercises and acting as a counterterrorism partner – while signaling its openness to multipolar cooperation. This balancing act could allow Morocco to serve as a bridge between India, Western partners, and African markets.
The Tata Advanced Systems Maroc factory is not just an industrial site; it is a symbol of shifting global dynamics. For India, it is proof of its emerging defense export ambitions. For Morocco, it is a step toward self-reliance, industrial modernization, and regional leadership.
With production targets set, local integration underway, and export horizons across Africa, Berrechid’s new armored vehicle plant could mark the start of a new chapter in both countries’ global strategies – one where defense cooperation underpins broader economic and geopolitical ambitions.
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