The proposed factory will be located in the SGZID industrial zone in Nouaceur and represents an expansion of MKU’s existing relationship with Morocco’s armed forces. The company said the project follows five years of supplying the country with optronics and personal protection equipment.
The planned facility will manufacture products designed to improve military surveillance, reconnaissance and threat detection, alongside protective equipment such as body armour, ballistic helmets and shields. These products are used to protect personnel and support military operations.
MKU has not disclosed the investment value, planned production capacity or expected opening date. The extent of local manufacturing, including which components will be produced in Morocco and which will be imported, also remains unclear.
According to Karan Gupta, Vice President of International Sales at MKU, the factory will strengthen the company’s long-term commitment to Morocco and support its international expansion strategy.
Establishing production closer to customers could also improve delivery times, technical support and equipment maintenance, although the scale of these benefits will depend on the facility’s eventual capabilities.
The proposed investment comes as Morocco seeks to develop its domestic defence manufacturing industry, attract international partners and expand its capacity to supply equipment to regional markets.
India already has a defence manufacturing presence in the country through Tata Advanced Systems, which inaugurated an armoured combat vehicle factory in Berrechid in September 2025. The facility produces WhAP 8×8 armoured vehicles for Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces under a government contract.
MKU’s proposed operation would complement this industrial activity while focusing on a different segment of the defence supply chain. Rather than manufacturing armoured vehicles, it would concentrate on personal protection and electro-optic systems.
For MKU, Morocco offers a potential base from which to serve customers beyond the North African market. The company has identified exports to other African countries as a central purpose of the proposed facility, potentially expanding its regional reach through locally based manufacturing.
The project also reflects a broader effort by defence manufacturers to establish production partnerships closer to end users, combining local industrial development with access to international markets.
However, the factory remains at the announcement stage, and its eventual contribution to Morocco’s industrial capacity and Africa-wide equipment supply will depend on investment commitments, production timelines and confirmed customer demand.