Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) is set to establish a defence manufacturing plant in Casablanca, Morocco. This will market India’s first overseas defence factory.

The pant will produce wheeled armoured platforms for the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces and aims to serve the broader African Market.

What is the Wheeled Armoured Platforms (WhAP)

The Wheeled Armoured Platforms (WhAP) is an amphibious infantry combat vehicle designed to navigate various terrains and has already been deployed by the Indian Army in limited numbers, including at the Ladakh Border. The new factory is expected to have an annual production capacity of 100 combat vehicles and is projected to be operational within a year, with the first units slated for rollout within 18 months.

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Sukaran Singh, CEO and Managing Director of TASL, told ET about the strategic importance of this contract, stating, “This not only enables TASL to help initiate Morocco’s defence ecosystem but also acts as a launch point for TASL into the rest of Africa for select defence systems.” He also acknowledged the Moroccan government’s support for this landmark production and supply agreement.

The WhAP was developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It underwent extensive testing in various African desert conditions prior to its selection by Morocco. While the specific contract value has not been disclosed, this initiative marks the first major greenfield defence plant established by an Indian company outside India.

Scope of the venture

This venture signifies a key milestone in India’s defence export strategy, as it expands into the African market, projected for exponential growth in the coming years. The new facility will create around 350 jobs and will also involve significant work being carried out in India, the report added. Furthermore, it highlights Tata’s entry into the competitive African defence market, which has historically been dominated by Russian and European suppliers and is now seeing increased interest from Indian companies.