Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Moroccan counterpart Abdelatif Loudyi Tuesday jointly inaugurated Tata Advanced Systems Limited’s (TASL) state-of-the-art combat vehicle manufacturing facility in Morocco’s Berrechid. The 20,000 square metre facility will produce the indigenously developed Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8, jointly designed by TASL and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
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According to a Defence Ministry statement, Rajnath described the occasion as a historic moment in the evolving strategic partnership between India and Morocco.
The statement mentioned that the WhAP is a modern modular combat platform equipped with advanced mobility, protection and mission adaptability.
Under the contract with the Moroccan government, TASL will deliver WhAP 8×8 vehicles to the Royal Moroccan Army, with initial deliveries scheduled to begin next month.
It is Morocco’s largest defence manufacturing facility, marking the first such plant by an Indian private company in Africa, the ministry added.
On the occasion, Rajnath said that India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat is not merely to manufacture for its own needs, but to develop capabilities that allow India to become a credible source of advanced technology and high-quality products for the world.
“Along with ‘Make in India,’ we are also pursuing ‘Make with Friends’ and ‘Make for the World’; this facility in Morocco is a shining example of that approach,” he added.