Tata WhAP 8×8 Armoured Vehicle Trials Greece

In a strategic move to expand India’s defence exports into Europe, the Hellenic Army General Staff met with Tata Group officials on 12 December 2025 in Athens to discuss the temporary deployment of the WhAP 8×8 armoured vehicle for operational trials in Greece.

The discussions focused on arranging rigorous technical and operational evaluations of the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) under Greek environmental conditions. The trials aim to assess the vehicle’s mobility, protection levels, and adaptability across Greece’s diverse terrain, which includes rugged mainland regions and numerous islands where amphibious capabilities are essential.

This initiative follows a notable success for Tata Advanced Systems in North Africa. In late December 2025, the company delivered the first batch of WhAP 8×8 vehicles to the Royal Moroccan Army. Produced at a new facility in Berrechid, Morocco—the first large-scale overseas defence manufacturing plant for India—these deliveries underscored the platform’s reliability and operational effectiveness, bolstering its reputation in the global defence market.

For Greece, the WhAP 8×8 presents an opportunity to modernise its mechanised infantry and rapid reaction forces. The country faces the challenge of phasing out older Cold War-era systems, such as M113 armoured personnel carriers and BMP-1 fighting vehicles. Tata’s proposal positions the WhAP as a versatile, cost-effective wheeled alternative to heavier tracked platforms, offering strategic mobility and lower lifecycle costs—factors increasingly critical for modern defence planning.

The WhAP, known domestically as the ‘Kestrel’, is a modular armoured platform developed collaboratively by Tata Advanced Systems and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Its design allows it to perform a range of roles, including infantry combat, reconnaissance, and command post operations. Key capabilities include:

• Amphibious Operations: Equipped with dedicated water jets for seamless operations across water obstacles and island terrains.
• Combat Versatility: Configurable as an Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) with a 30mm cannon or other mission-specific roles.
• Crew Protection: Features scalable ballistic armour and mine protection to ensure survivability in high-threat zones.
• Mobility: Powered by a 600 hp engine, the 8×8 configuration delivers high road speeds and exceptional off-road performance.

By offering the WhAP 8×8 to Greece for field trials, Tata aims to replicate the Moroccan export success in the European market. If adopted, the platform could play a pivotal role in the modernisation of Greek mechanised forces while reinforcing India’s position as a competitive global defence exporter.