Defense Minister Rajnath Singh is in Morocco, where he is engaging in bilateral discussions with Moroccan officials. A significant part of his visit involves the inauguration of India’s first overseas defense manufacturing factory in Casablanca. This visit is a testament to the strengthening defense collaboration between India and Morocco.
India sees Morocco as a key location for boosting defense exports across Africa. This overseas defense factory will allow India to increase its defense exports to African countries.
The new defense manufacturing unit in Morocco is a joint project between the Indian company Tata and the Moroccan military. The main purpose of this unit is to produce a specific type of military vehicle called the 8×8 Wheeled Armored Platform (WhAP). These vehicles are designed to perform well on all types of surfaces, including water.
The unit will initially produce vehicles for the Moroccan army. Afterward, it plans to build more vehicles to sell to other African nations. This is a crucial project as it is the first factory in Africa making defense products for India. It also supports India’s self-reliance initiative. The unit is expected to produce about 100 vehicles annually and will employ about 350 people. Some WhAP parts will also be made in India.