Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces (FAR) have taken delivery of the first batch of WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicles manufactured locally in the Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in the country’s drive to develop a national defense industry.
The vehicles were produced at the Tata Advanced Systems Morocco (TASM) plant in the city of Berrechid, a facility inaugurated last September as part of a growing strategic partnership between Morocco and India.
This first delivery represents a major step forward in Morocco’s military and defense industrialization strategy, which aims to develop domestic capabilities across land, naval, and air defense sectors, while reducing dependence on external suppliers.
The Berrechid plant was officially inaugurated by India’s Minister of Defence, Rajnath Singh, who described the project as the opening of a “new chapter in the strategic partnership between India and Morocco.” The ceremony was attended by Morocco’s Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of National Defense Administration, Abdellatif Loudiyi, and the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour.
During the inauguration, Singh expressed his “deep gratitude” to King Mohammed VI and the Moroccan government for their continued support of Indo-Moroccan cooperation. He emphasized that the WhAP 8×8 facility—the first Indian defense production unit established outside India—would serve as a center of excellence for research, design, and defense manufacturing.
The Indian defense minister noted that the plant is expected to attract young talent, stimulate innovation, and foster the development of new technologies that will benefit both countries, while reinforcing long-term industrial and technological cooperation.
Singh also highlighted that Morocco and India have, for years, been strengthening their partnership across multiple sectors, including renewable energy, fertilizers, information technology, and tourism. The expansion of cooperation into the defense sector, he said, reflects the growing strategic depth of bilateral relations.
For his part, Sukaran Singh, CEO of Tata Advanced Systems Limited, said the launch of the Berrechid factory constitutes a strategic step for India’s defense industry, according to statements reported by the Moroccan News Agency (MAP).
He stressed that the project goes beyond a simple industrial investment, describing it as a long-term commitment to innovation and shared development. The factory, he added, will create skilled job opportunities while enhancing technological and industrial cooperation between Rabat and New Delhi.
The delivery of the first locally manufactured WhAP 8×8 vehicles is seen as a concrete outcome of this partnership, reinforcing Morocco’s ambition to become a regional hub for defense manufacturing and advanced military technologies.
