India’s indigenous light tank Zorawar was unveiled on July 6. The 25-tonne tank was jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) as the lead integrator.
Key points
The tank is currently powered by a Cummins engine and DRDO has taken up a project to develop a new engine domestically.
The tank is capable of operation in the most challenging environment on the earth, i.e. extreme weather and extreme height with minimal logistic support in high altitude area along the northern border of India.
The tank has been built in a record time of two years. It is designed for rapid deployment and high mobility in the mountains.
The tank is planned to be handed over to the Army for user trials by August 2025.
The need for light tanks became evident during the 2020 standoff with Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh. The Indian Army had to deploy its heavier T-72 and T-90 tanks, which are not ideally suited for high-altitude areas.
Recognizing the gap, the Army initiated Project Zorawar, aiming to induct approximately 350 light tanks weighing around 25 tonnes.
