Thursday, September 25, 2025
By Kamal Swami
India and Morocco Open Tata’s Advanced Defence Plant
Taking a step towards their growing partnership, India and Morocco have inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Maroc (TASM), India’s first overseas defence manufacturing facility in Berrechid, Morocco. The plant was inaugurated by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Morocco’s Minister Delegate for National Defence Administration, Abdeltif Loudyi, along with Industry Minister Ryad Mezzour and Tata Advanced Systems CEO Sukaran Singh.
The new plant is more than an industrial project – it is a strategic partnership which will help boost Morocco’s defence autonomy while advancing India’s defence export ambitions. Extending his thanks to King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government, Indian Defence Minister Singh described the facility as “a new chapter in the strategic partnership between India and Morocco,”.
The Berrechid facility will produce the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8 combat vehicles, developed by Tata Advanced Systems in collaboration with India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Deliveries to Morocco’s Armed Forces (FAR) are expected to start within 18 months. The unit will start producing 100 vehicles annually by 2028.
Beyond production, the plant will also be used as a regional hub for research, design, and defence technology innovation. It will also be used as a training centre for engineers in Morocco, integrate local suppliers, and increase the local outsourcing from 35% to 50%. With the launch of this plant, it is believed to create around 90 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs, which will be a major shift in Morocco’s industrial ecosystem. The plant will also reduce Morocco’s dependence on defence imports and build a domestic industrial base. In line with recent legislation supporting local defence manufacturing, the country is exploring partnerships while maintaining its strong relationship with traditional partners such as the United States and France.
For India, the project is one more move towards its “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision of self-reliance and expanding defence exports. According to industry experts, the plant satisfies the objective of both nations to play larger roles in a multipolar world, positioning Morocco as a gateway to African and European markets while strengthening India’s outreach in the region.
