DRDO Chief Samir V Kamath Announces New Light Tank Zorawar for Indian Army by 2027
Hazira (Gujarat) [India], July 6: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief, Samir V Kamath, announced that the new indigenous Light Tank Zorawar is expected to be inducted into the Indian Army by 2027 after all trials are completed. Kamath reviewed the project’s progress at the Larsen and Toubro (L&T) plant in Hazira, Gujarat.
The DRDO and L&T have integrated Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) in loitering munitions into the tank, learning from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Kamath expressed his pride in the project, stating, “It’s indeed a momentous day for all of us to see the light tank in action. It makes me happy and proud. In a short period of two years to two and a half years, we have not only designed this tank but made a first prototype and now the first prototype will undergo development trials over the next six months, and then we will be ready to offer it to our users for user trials. Zorawar is expected to be inducted into the Indian Army by the year 2027 after all trials.”
The Zorawar tank, weighing 25 tonnes, is the first tank designed and made ready for trials in such a short time. L&T Executive Vice President Arun Ramchandani praised the joint effort between DRDO and L&T, saying, “It is a great day for L&T today. Within two years, we have brought the tank to a level where it can be taken for internal trials and very soon for user trials. It has been a big effort, a joint effort between DRDO and L&T, and I think it’s a great achievement by both these teams. Nowhere in the world has a new product been deployed in such a short time. It’s a wonderful achievement for both DRDO and L&T.”
DRDO tank lab director Rajesh Kumar highlighted the unique aspects of the Zorawar tank, including its weight and the combination of fundamental tank parameters such as firepower, mobility, and protection. He explained, “Generally there are three different types of tanks. There are three categories depending on the weight. The heavy tanks, the medium tanks and the light tanks. Each one has its role. One is for protection, one is for offence and these light tanks play a mixed role for both. So if you see a light tank, many players in the world are making light tanks. There are the Western tanks, the Russian tanks, Chinese tanks…what is unique about this tank is the weight as well as the combination of the fundamental parameters of a tank, which is the fire, power, mobility and protection. All three are optimized in such a way that the weight is also maintained. At the same time, you are getting all the parameters. So that is where we stand.”
Developed in a record time of two years for high-altitude areas of Ladakh, the Zorawar tank is a testament to India’s progress in indigenous manufacturing. Initially, 59 of these tanks will be provided to the Army, with plans for a major program of 295 more armoured vehicles. The Indian Air Force can transport two tanks at a time in C-17 class transport aircraft, and the tank can operate at high speeds in mountain valleys. The trials are expected to be completed in the next 12-18 months, making the tank ready for induction.