According to Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Dr Samir Kamath, the indigenously developed lightweight tank Zorawar is expected to be inducted into the Indian Army in 2027. The DRDO expects all the necessary trials to be completed, and the tank will be ready for induction in 2027.

Dr Samir Kamath spoke after the commencement of the tank trial at Hazira, Gujarat.

Developer of the Zorawar Tank

The Zorawar tank has been designed and developed by DRDO in collaboration with the private sector company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and other smaller companies.

The government of India approved the development of a lightweight tank for the Indian Army in March 2022 after the bloody clash between the Indian Army and the Chinese Army in Galwan, Ladakh, in June 2020,

The DRDO developed the tank's design and prototype within two and a half years of the government's approval. The tank prototype is being extensively trialled in Hazira, Gujarat.

Threat of China in the Ladakh Region

Around 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died in a serious clash along the line of actual control in Galwan.Ladakh in June 2022. The bloody clash led to the rapid deployment of troops by both the countries in the region.

During the deployment of troops, the Indian Army faced the problem of quick deployment of tanks. The existing tanks of the Indian Army were too heavy, and there were huge problems in airlifting the tanks to the frontline.

Secondly, the tanks that were deployed were found not suitable for high-altitude terrain. The Indian Army also found that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had deployed a large number of advanced lightweight tanks in the region, putting Indian forces at a disadvantage.

Thus, the Army wanted a tank with a maximum weight of 25 tonnes that could be easily airlifted to the forward location in Ladakh and well-equipped to fight a battle in such conditions.

Present tanks with the Army inadequate for the task

The Indian Army currently operates three types of tanks, the Russian-origin T-72 T-90 tanks and the indigenously developed Arjun Mk 1A. All three tanks have been designed for fighting battles along the western border with Pakistan in plains and desert conditions. These tanks are also heavy- the Arjun tank weighs 68.5 tons, the T-90 weighs about 46 tons, and the T-72 weighs about 45 tons.

These Tanks are not well equipped to fight in high altitude rugged terrains where the temperature drops below 0 degrees centigrades.

Project Zorawar

The government of India launched Project Zorawar to meet the Indian Army's requirement for deployment in the Ladakh region of the China-India border.

The Indian government approved the project in March 2022, and DRDO was tasked with designing and developing the tank according to the Indian Army's specifications.

The project was named ‘Zorawar’ after the conqueror of Ladakh, Zorawar Singh Kahluria, who conquered Ladakh. In the 19th century, he was a famous military commander of the ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Maharaja Gulab Singh. He led the Maharaja’s army’s operations in Ladakh and western Tibet.

Under Project Zorawar, a lightweight tank with a maximum weight of 25 tonnes is being developed for quicker deployment and movement in high-altitude areas of Ladakh to counter the Chinese threat

The tank will be equipped with the same firepower of conventional tanks armed with Artificial Intelligence (AI), integration of tactical surveillance drones along with an active protection system.

The Zorawar tank is also amphibious and can easily navigate riverine regions and the Pangong Tso lake in Eastern Ladakh. The Indian and Chinese armies are heavily deployed in the disputed area of the Pangong Tso lake.