Morocco and India inaugurated on Tuesday in Berrechid, Casablanca region, the TATA Advanced Systems Morocco (TASM) plant designed to produce WhAP 8×8 armored combat vehicles.
The inauguration, carried out in execution of the High Guidelines of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR), was announced by Morocco’s National Defense Administration, the Indian Ministry of Defense, and TATA Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), says the National Defense 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 defense sector, according to the same same source.
This structuring project seeks not only to gradually equip the country with industrial and technological autonomy in defense, 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% 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 defense 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 defense industry capable of addressing the challenges of sovereignty, autonomy, and security within the framework of enhanced South-South cooperation.
TASL, as a globally recognized leader in defense, brings to this project its expertise, cutting-edge technologies, and international network, while promoting knowledge transfer and local innovation, the statement concluded.