Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to Inaugurate Tata Advanced Systems Facility at Morocco
New Delhi: India will open its first-ever overseas defence manufacturing facility in Morocco this week, a landmark move that underscores the growing global reach of the country’s defence industry.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate Tata Advanced Systems Maroc’s new plant for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8 at Berrechid during a two-day official visit to Morocco on September 22–23, officials said. The Berrechid facility is not only India’s first defence factory abroad but also the first Indian defence manufacturing venture on the African continent.
Singh’s trip — his first to the North African nation — comes at the invitation of Morocco’s Minister Delegate of National Defence, Abdeltif Loudiyi, and highlights a deepening strategic convergence between New Delhi and Rabat. Officials describe the visit as a milestone in bilateral defence and industrial ties.
The Berrechid plant will manufacture components and systems for the WhAP 8×8 armoured vehicle, signalling a shift from export-focused deals to local production and transfer of technology. New Delhi sees the project as a concrete outcome of the Aatmanirbhar Bharat push to expand India’s defence industrial footprint overseas.
#Morocco #India Indian Manufacturer Tata to Build Defense Plant in Morocco, India’s First Overseas Defense Venture https://t.co/57LPtbM4UP pic.twitter.com/BInAl2nHo6
— Sputnik Africa (@sputnik_africa) September 28, 2024
During the visit, Singh is slated to hold high-level talks with Loudiyi to broaden cooperation in defence, strategy and industry. He will also call on Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, to explore wider avenues of industrial collaboration and investment.
Both sides are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Defence. According to an Indian government statement, “The MoU will provide an institutional framework to expand and deepen bilateral defence engagement, including exchanges, training, and industrial linkages.”
Rajnath Singh will also meet the Indian community in Rabat, and officials say the visit will consolidate practical ties that have already seen Indian Navy ships make regular port calls at Casablanca in recent years.
Bilateral relations have been on an upswing since King Mohammed VI met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. Government sources said the inauguration and expected defence pact will inject fresh momentum into India-Morocco ties, especially in defence cooperation, technology transfer and industrial partnership.
