Rabat : Morocco and India inaugurated on Tuesday in Berrechid, Casablanca region, the TATA Advanced Systems Morocco (TASM) plant designed to produce WhAP 8×8 armoured combat vehicles.
The inauguration, carried out under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), was announced by Morocco’s National Defence Administration, the Ministry of Defence of India, and TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), says the National Defence Administration in a statement.
Through an investment agreement signed between the parties in September 2024, this strategic partnership is aimed at strengthening Morocco’s industrial capacity in the defence sector.
This structuring project seeks not only to gradually equip the country with industrial and technological autonomy in defence, but also to act as a catalyst for the development of an innovative industrial ecosystem and the creation of skilled jobs.
At its launch, the TASM plant will integrate 35% of locally sourced components, a rate that will progressively reach 50% thanks to sustained investment in training and the integration of national suppliers.
The Berrechid plant is expected to support regional economic growth through the creation of 90 direct jobs and 250 indirect jobs, with a scale-up plan that foresees a sharp increase in production in the medium term.
It also offers Moroccan talents opportunities for training, career development, and the acquisition of technological expertise related to the manufacturing and maintenance of advanced defence vehicles. Equipped with modern infrastructure, the TASM plant will serve as a regional platform for exporting WhAP 8×8 vehicles, particularly to Africa. It is intended for the FAR as well as high-potential international markets.
This partnership is fully in line with the royal vision for the emergence of a national defence industry capable of addressing the challenges of sovereignty, autonomy, and security within the framework of enhanced South-South cooperation.
TASL, as a globally recognised leader in defence, brings to this project its expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and international network, while promoting knowledge transfer and local innovation, the statement concluded.
