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Morocco in partnership with India’s TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) inaugurated this Tuesday Morocco’s first 8×8 combat armored vehicles plant in Berchid.
The plant was opened at high directives of King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR). The King had previously urged the setting up of a competitive defense industry in the country.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who inaugurated the plant along with Morocco’s minister in charge of the administration of national defense, Abdellatif Loudiyi, wrote on his X page that the initiative, marking the first Indian defense collaborative manufacturing venture in Morocco, ushers in a new chapter in India-Morocco defense Cooperation.
The initiative will also contribute to global peace and security.
The factory is the result of an investment agreement signed in September 2024 between Morocco’s Defense Administration, the Indian Defense Ministry and TASL.
Located in the Berrechid industrial zone, the facility will produce WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicles for the Royal Armed Forces and export markets, notably in Africa.
At launch, the factory will incorporate 35% locally sourced components, with plans to increase this to 50% through supplier development and training programs.
The plant is expected to create 90 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs. It is also designed to serve as a regional hub for defense vehicle exports, particularly to African markets.
The inauguration marks a key step in Morocco’s strategy to develop a national defense industry and strengthen South-South cooperation in the sector.
A day earlier, Morocco and India signed a defense cooperation deal that covers training, cyber security, health, military exercises and industry.
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