Indian tanks in Ladakh. (Representational photo)
New Delhi: The “Zorawar” lightweight tank for mountain warfare, which the defence ministry’s Defence Acquisition Council approved as a necessity for the Indian Army in December as reported by India Sentinels, will be operationalized by 2027, sources in the defence establishment claimed, last weekend. The tank was conceptualized after the Army felt the need for a lightweight tank for high-altitude warfare following the heightened tension along the line of actual control (LAC) with China.
Zorawar, which means “brave and strong” in Punjabi, will be designed to operate in various types of terrain, including high-altitude areas, marginal terrain, and islands. Being lightweight at 25 tonnes, the Zorowar can be quickly transported by air, land, and railway for rapid deployment to meet any urgent operational requirement.
The Army plans to buy 354 such tanks. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will manufacture 59 tanks and 295 to be made under the “Make-1 Category”.
It may be recalled that during the stand-off with China’s People’s Liberation Army south of Pangong-tso, the Army had deployed T-72 and T-90 tanks on the Kailash Range. This led to the disengagement of the two armies from the friction point. However, the tanks that the Army deployed – T-72 and T-90 – are mainly meant for plains and deserts and have limited capabilities in high-altitude areas.
