India’s quest for defence self-reliance received a decisive boost with the unveiling of the Zorawar Light Tank, a state-of-the-art platform jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T).
Weighing just 25 tonnes, the Zorawar has been conceived as a swift, air-transportable asset capable of manoeuvring through deserts, rugged terrain, and high-altitude battlefields. It is widely regarded as India’s strategic response to China’s Type-15 light tank, designed with the specific purpose of strengthening combat preparedness along the Line of Actual Control.
The armoured vehicle incorporates a 105 mm main gun, a 7.62 mm co-axial gun, a 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon station and provision for an anti-tank guided missile system. It also allows for drone integration, providing real-time battlefield intelligence. According to a statement from L&T, the platform introduces “several firsts in India’s tracked vehicle development programme” including high-altitude operability, rubber-band tracks with hydro-pneumatic suspension, modular armour, and an auxiliary power unit for prolonged operations.
The tank has been designed to allow rapid deployment via aircraft such as the C-17 Globemaster III and Chinook helicopters, ensuring mobility in emergencies. Its ability to sustain performance at altitudes above 4,200 metres was proven in trials at Nyoma, Ladakh, where it successfully demonstrated firepower and manoeuvrability.
Also read: DRDO completes first trials of light tank 'Zorawar'
L&T underlined that the tank embodies features tailored for “3rd-generation ATGM capability; integrated situational awareness systems and high-elevation enabled weapon systems”. With the capacity for future upgrades, it also provides a base for development in the medium-weight category.
The Zorawar has been manufactured at L&T’s Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira, completing the development-to-production cycle in under 24 months – a pace hailed by defence experts as unprecedented in India’s military-industrial sphere.
The Ministry of Defence views the tank as both a technological achievement and a symbolic assertion of the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Defence observers believe the Zorawar strengthens India’s ability to neutralise regional threats while laying the foundation for an independent, innovation-led armour production ecosystem.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P described the platform as “a decisive setback for the banned Maoist outfit,” urging insurgents to surrender and reintegrate through the rehabilitation scheme.
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