New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Morocco on Sunday to inaugurate Tata Advanced Systems’ new facility for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 at Berrechid, marking the first-ever Indian defence manufacturing plant on the African continent.

During his visit, the Defence Minister is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his Moroccan counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi and engage with the Indian community in Rabat.

Addressing the significance of the facility, Rajnath Singh said on X: “There is a growing strategic convergence between India and Morocco. Looking forward to further strengthen the growing relationship…”
 

The visit is also expected to see the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in Defence between India and Morocco. This MoU aims to create a formal framework to enhance bilateral defence engagement, covering training, industrial partnerships, and exchanges. Indian Navy ships have made regular port calls at Casablanca, and the agreement is expected to further strengthen these strategic ties.

A Defence Ministry statement noted that India-Morocco relations have strengthened since King Mohammed VI met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. The upcoming visit aims to deepen cooperation, particularly in defence and strategic sectors.

According to Tata Advanced Systems, last September, the company signed an agreement with Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces for local production of the WhAP. “Developed in collaboration with the DRDO and Tata Motors, this marks a significant milestone as we expand our footprint overseas as a Defence OEM,” the statement said.

The contract will see Indian-made vehicles supplied to Moroccan forces over three years, representing the largest armoured vehicle contract for India domestically and abroad. The Indian paramilitary forces have also placed orders for the indigenous platform.

The WhAP is an indigenously designed and developed amphibious wheeled combat vehicle. DRDO highlighted that its design focuses on modularity, scalability and adaptability for various operational roles. The vehicle can traverse muddy or slushy terrain and withstand mine blasts. Variants, including the Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle (IPMV) and the paramilitary version, are already in service with the Indian Army and paramilitary forces.

ANI