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India and Morocco have taken a decisive step in deepening their defence partnership with the signing of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the inauguration of the first Indian defence manufacturing facility on African soil.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on a three-day visit to Morocco, signed the MoU with his counterpart Abdeltif Loudiyi in Rabat on Monday. The agreement institutionalises defence cooperation across training, joint exercises, cyber and maritime security, and defence industry collaboration – giving a long-term framework to what both sides call a “strategic partnership with purpose.”
“The two countries decided to intensify defence industry collaboration and agreed on a comprehensive roadmap to deepen collaboration in Counter-terrorism efforts, maritime security, cyber defence, military training and peacekeeping operations and military medicine,” Defence Ministry stated in a post on ‘X’.
Defence Wing at Indian Embassy in Rabat
Singh also announced the creation of a dedicated Defence Wing at the Indian Embassy in Rabat. This new structure will act as a permanent bridge between the armed forces of both nations, enabling capacity-building through training exchanges, technology partnerships, and industry linkages.
Tata Advanced Systems Opens Morocco Plant
A highlight of Singh’s visit comes with the inauguration of Tata Advanced Systems Maroc’s new plant in Berrechid, near Casablanca. Spread over 20,000 square metres, the state-of-the-art facility will assemble the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8×8, jointly developed by Tata Motors and DRDO.
It marks India’s first defence production venture in Africa and Morocco’s first large-scale defence assembly unit. The plant is envisioned as a hub for exports to African markets, advancing India’s “Make in India for the World” strategy while also supporting Morocco’s defence industrial ambitions.
Critical sub-systems will be manufactured in India, with final integration in Morocco – a hybrid co-production model expected to create jobs, strengthen local vendor ecosystems, and build advanced skills in the region.
Strategic Context: India’s Africa Outreach
India’s growing defence footprint in Africa comes at a time of intensifying global competition for influence on the continent. While China has expanded its presence with a naval base in Djibouti and large-scale arms sales, India is positioning itself differently – offering capacity-building, joint development, and equitable partnerships rather than dependency-driven models.
Morocco, situated at the intersection of Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic, is a natural partner in India’s West and North Africa outreach. Its political stability, growing defence needs, and openness to industrial collaboration make it a critical anchor in New Delhi’s Africa strategy.
Beyond Bilateralism: South–South Defence Cooperation
The MoU and new facility also carry wider significance. Defence, long the preserve of great-power competition, is emerging as a new frontier in South–South Cooperation. Singh’s visit signals that India sees security and defence industrialisation as integral to equitable development partnerships.
Talks between the two sides are expected to set the stage for new joint ventures and projects in the run-up to the upcoming India–Africa Forum Summit. Loudiyi has also been formally invited to visit India to continue discussions.
Huma Siddiqui
