Even as India and China soften ties and commit to a deescalation of their war-like border standoff that began in 2020, India’s highly anticipated light tank project, Zorawar, is poised to enter a pivotal phase. Within weeks, the first-generation tank is expected to roll into user trials with the Indian Army, putting its capabilities to the test across deserts, riverine plains, and the icy heights of Ladakh.
In a powerful testament to the speed and ambition of India’s evolving defence production ecosystem, the Zorawar, built specifically in response to an Indian Army need for mountain armour in the face of China’s clear advantage in Eastern Ladakh, took just 21 months to reach its current point. The light tank, a joint DRDO–L&T effort, has been under test by way of a fully functional prototype that may reshape armoured warfare in extreme terrain.
NDTV’s Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som recently visited L&T’s sprawling Hazira facility in Gujarat for an up-close view of the tank and conversations with L&T leadership steering the ‘mission mode’ project that seeks to deliver the capability in response to an urgent combat need. You can watch that full video here:
The impetus for Zorawar was stark. During the 2020 standoff in Ladakh, the Indian Army deployed heavyweight T-72 and T-90 tanks ill-suited to high-altitude terrain, which were slow, logistically burdensome, and sometimes mechanically challenged in freezing conditions.
In contrast, China deployed its Type-15 light tank at the Line of Actual Control, highlighting a critical capability disparity. As L&T Precision Engineering & Systems Senior VPArun Ramchandani reflected, “It is a record of sorts for a new weapon system to be developed in such a short time. It is the most contemporary light tank, and will likely be better than comparable products in operations.”
Two years after India and China mobilised their armies to the LAC in eastern Ladakh, Project Zorawar was underway, with the mandate clear: develop a 25-tonne, amphibious, highly mobile, and most importantly, Indian-made, light tank for mountain warfare.
The developmental sprint for Zorawar has been remarkable, even by global defence standards. From paperwork to prototype in under two years, largely due to DRDO’s unprecedentedly agile design process (fuelled by an experienced team at the Combat Vehicles laboratory near Chennai) and L&T’s efficient manufacturing.
Already, Zorawar has cleared preliminary trials, including mobility runs, basic firing of its 105 mm gun, and amphibious float tests. Now it edges ever closer to Army user trials designed to push it to its limits. Trials so far make its testers sure that Zorawar outmatches the Chinese T-15 and the Russian Sprut. The latter has been aggressively on offer to India for the mountain tank requirement, but the Indian Army has decided it wants to keep this capability homegrown.
Technical Snapshot: What Sets Zorawar Apart
- Weight & Mobility: At ~25 tonnes, nearly half that of a T-90, the tank achieves a power-to-weight ratio of ~30–40 hp/tonne. It can reach up to 70 km/h on roads and 35–40 km/h cross-country.
- Firepower: Mounted with a Cockerill 105 mm high-pressure rifled gun in the Cockerill 3105 turret, optimized for high-elevation engagements in mountains.
- Versatility: Amphibious-ready, enabling river crossings without reliance on engineering bridges, a critical advantage in mountainous and flood-prone regions.
- Protection & Tech: Modular armor, a 7.62 mm RCWS for secondary fire, smoke grenade launchers, AI-assisted fire control, counter-drone systems, and battlefield integration capabilities.
Zorawar captures a broader strategic shift: agility and technology-centric combat rather than sheer mass. Export-licensing roadblocks have played their own role in shaping the Zorawar. For instane, Germany’s intransigence and delays in licensing an MTU engine for the Zorawar forced the developers to instead import American Cummins engines for the tank. While this remains a vulnerability in the overall geopolitical churn, it is learnt that Cummins is looking to make those engines in India. L&T is separately developing its own tank engine and transmission system for current and future projects. The Belgian firm supplying the main gun of the Zorawar is also in talks with L&T to license produce the gun locally.
User trials expected to commence imminently will be the crucible for Zorawar’s future. These will test:
- Mobility across terrains: Deserts, high-altitude snow zones, and riverine areas will challenge its mechanical resilience and design.
- Firepower effectiveness: Static and combat shooting at altitude, where range precision is crucial.
- Endurance and maintainability: Long-duration runs, wear-and-tear analysis, and ease of maintenance under austere conditions.
These trials will either affirm Zorawar’s promise or reveal areas needing refinement. What’s certain is that the Indian Army wants the tanks soon.
A second prototype is currently under construction. The Army has placed a limited-series order for 59 tanks and foresees a broader requirement of up to 354 units if trials are successful.
Once approved, production could swiftly ramp up at L&T’s Hazira facility, cementing Zorawar as a flagship (“Made in India”) defence product.
Thanks to its light, amphibious profile, Southeast Asian and other nations with similar terrain challenges may view Zorawar as a lucrative export prospect.
Zorawar stands for more than hardware. It represents India’s vision for self-reliance in defence manufacturing. Where past indigenous efforts, like the Arjun tank, faltered on weight and delays, Zorawar’s rapid progression reflects a new maturity in public-private collaboration.
Despite its promise, Zorawar must prove its mettle under scrutiny. Its lighter armour may test survivability; hydro-mechanical systems must withstand amphibious stress; and maintaining a stable supply of imported engines (currently Cummins) is critical to production continuity. User trials are designed to identify and address these vulnerabilities decisively.
If trials begin shortly and progress smoothly, Zorawar could be inducted by 2027, matching DRDO’s and the Army’s expectations (Wikipedia, Defense Express). For troops deployed in extreme altitudes, Zorawar promises reduced logistical burdens, faster deployment, and firepower tailored to their operational realities.
In the weeks ahead, all eyes, from Ladakh’s high ridges to South Block’s planning rooms, will watch as Zorawar begins its most critical chapter yet.