For several years, Morocco has been pursuing a strategic transformation in its defense policy, shifting from reliance on imports to the development of a domestic military industry. This approach reflects the Kingdom's ambition to strengthen its defense sovereignty and assert itself as an emerging regional player. In recent years, Morocco has undergone a major shift in its defense policy. The Kingdom is no longer focused solely on strengthening its military arsenal through imports; it is now working to establish a local defense industry capable of meeting its strategic needs. This shift reflects Morocco's efforts to reinforce national sovereignty, reduce reliance on foreign arms, and position itself as an emerging regional player in defense manufacturing. This transformation began in July 2020, when the ministerial council, chaired by King Mohammed VI, approved Law No. 10.20 on defense and security equipment, weapons, and ammunition. The law created a legal framework for developing a domestic military industry by regulating the «manufacturing, trade, import, export, transfer, and transit of these materials and equipment through a licensing system for conducting these activities, as well as a system for tracking and monitoring documents and immediately verifying license and authorization holders in this field». Just a few months later, in October 2020, Morocco signed a military partnership agreement with the United States, extending until 2030. The deal includes Washington's support for investments aimed at building a local defense industry. Since then, several key initiatives have followed. In April 2024, Israeli arms company BlueBird Aero Systems announced the construction of a drone manufacturing plant in Morocco. Two months later, the ministerial council approved a draft decree to create two industrial acceleration zones dedicated to defense, designed to host industries producing defense and security equipment, weapons, and ammunition. In early 2025, Turkish drone giant Baykar announced the launch of a Moroccan branch tasked with «designing, manufacturing, developing, and maintaining drones», as well as producing spare parts and developing advanced defense technologies, including electronic devices, software, and mechanical systems. On May 2025, during his annual address to the Royal Armed Forces on the occasion of their 69th anniversary, King Mohammed VI declared: «We will continue to support programs for localizing military industries as one of the major national projects under our auspices. We have ensured that all favorable conditions are in place for their success, aiming to achieve the desired independence in the defense sector». Most recently, the National Defense Administration, in partnership with India's Ministry of Defense and TATA Advanced Systems Limited, inaugurated a new factory in Berrechid under the name TATA Advanced Systems Morocco (TASM). The facility is dedicated to producing WhAP 8x8 armored combat vehicles for the Royal Armed Forces, with the potential to export to promising international markets. Specialized military media have also reported that Morocco and Pakistan are moving toward signing a cooperation agreement that would allow for the production of Pakistani weapons in Morocco. Localizing Military Industries and the Quest for Independence Security and military expert Mohamed Choukair told Yabiladi that Morocco «has decided to pursue a strategy of diversifying partners through agreements with countries like the United States, India, and Turkey, in its quest to achieve modern weapon manufacturing and advanced defense systems». He added that the country aims to «cover its equipment needs, reduce the costs of arms procurement, and maintain a balance with its neighbors, particularly Algeria and Spain». Military expert Abderrahmane Mekkaoui emphasized that Morocco's interest in building a local defense industry is not new. Its foundations, he explained, began to take shape after King Mohammed VI came to power, when an early project was launched to quietly establish self-sufficiency in ammunition and certain spare parts. According to Mekkaoui, Morocco is pursuing several strategic objectives through this project. Developing a local defense industry helps reduce the budget allocated to arms imports, creates jobs—including opportunities for highly skilled graduates and former military personnel—and opens the door to re-exporting weapons. Over the past five years, Morocco's national defense budget has seen consistent growth, reaching 133 billion dirhams this year, up nearly 9 billion dirhams from last year and more than 37 billion dirhams since 2019. Choukair noted that Morocco is «adopting the same strategy India once pursued, establishing companies to supply its own army while also seeking export markets». Localizing defense industries, he explained, is part of a long-term vision to strengthen the Kingdom's independence and achieve true defense sovereignty. Mekkaoui added that «in most Western countries, the private sector plays a significant role in defense manufacturing, which is why Morocco has opened the door to investors from Europe, Asia, and the Gulf».
