Indian Light Tank Zorawar Begins Trials for High Altitude Warfare

The development trials for the Zorawar light tank have begun, and the DRDO is expected to hand it over to the Indian Army for further testing by April of this year. The tank, equipped with a new engine, is being developed and produced by DRDO in partnership with Larsen and Toubro. 

• The Army has placed an order for 59 Zorawar light tanks to be produced and supplied by DRDO.
• The Indian Army is preparing to face potential threats from its northern border with China. So far, the main threat has been identified as Pakistan, and the deployment of the Indian army has been geared towards countering this threat. 
• However, to tackle the Chinese threat, the Indian Army has launched Project Zorawar.

Project Zorawar 

The Indian Army has named its new project 'Zorawar' after Zorawar Singh Kahluria, also known as the conqueror of Ladakh, who was a military general who served under Jammu's Raja Gulab Singh and successfully conquered Ladakh. 

• The goal of Project Zorawar is to develop a lightweight tank weighing no more than 25 tonnes, equipped with Artificial Intelligence (AI), tactical surveillance drones, and an active protection system that provides it with the same firepower as a regular tank. 
• The purpose of this new tank is to provide quicker deployment and movement in high-altitude areas of Ladakh to counter the Chinese threat. Additionally, the Indian Army wants the tank to be amphibious, allowing it to be deployed across riverine regions, including the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh. 
• Project Zorawar aims to design and manufacture an indigenous lightweight tank in India.

Threat from China  and High Altitude war 

• The border dispute with China in Ladakh in 2020 and the ongoing standoff in the region have emphasized the necessity for quick deployment of armored columns along the Line of Actual Control. 
• The Indian Army is on the lookout for lightweight tanks that can be rapidly deployed in the high-altitude region. 
• The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has inducted numerous technologically advanced, lightweight "state of the art" tanks in the area, placing Indian forces at a loss.

Other tanks of the Army are inadequate

The Indian Army uses three types of tanks, the Arjun Mk 1A, T-90, and T-72. The Arjun Mk 1A is the latest addition and weighs 68.5 tons, while the T-90 and T-72 weigh 46 and 45 tons, respectively. 

• These tanks were designed for use in plains and desert terrain, mainly against Pakistan. However, they have limitations when used in high-altitude areas like Ladakh, where the maximum weight for tanks to be airlifted is 25 tons. 
• To address this issue, the Indian government approved the indigenous design and development of light tanks for mountain warfare in March of this year.