Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday, got a close look at one of India's highly ambitious indigenous armoured fighting vehicles during his visit to Larsen & Toubro's Hazira facility in Gujarat.
During his visit to the AM Naik Heavy Engineering Complex in Surat, the prime minister was briefed on the capabilities of the indigenous 'Zorawar' light tank and other defence systems being manufactured at the facility.
After the visit, the prime minister posted on X: "This afternoon, went to the L&T complex at Hazira. Witnessed some of their pioneering innovations across different sectors. The role played by L&T in furthering self-reliance in the defence sector is commendable."
The Zorawar light tank, developed jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and L&T Defence, has been designed specifically to meet the Indian Army's requirement for a highly mobile armoured platform capable of operating in high-altitude regions, particularly along the frontier with China.
Unlike conventional main battle tanks, the Zorawar weighs around 25 tonnes, allowing it to be rapidly deployed by air using existing military transport aircraft. Its relatively low weight, combined with a high power-to-weight ratio, is intended to provide exceptional mobility and agility in mountainous terrain and other challenging operational environments, according to L&T.
Despite its compact size, the tank packs considerable firepower. It is equipped with a 105 mm main gun and a 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun. It can also be fitted with an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) system and a 12.7 mm remote-controlled weapon station. The platform can additionally be integrated with a surveillance drone to improve battlefield awareness and target acquisition, according to information provided on the website of L&T.
The tank incorporates several advanced features that are being introduced for the first time in India's tracked vehicle development programme. These include high-altitude operability supported by an advanced powerpack, composite rubber-band tracks, hydro-pneumatic suspension, modular armour for adaptable protection, and an integrated auxiliary power unit for sustained operations.
The platform is also equipped with third-generation anti-tank guided missile capability, an integrated situational awareness system and high-elevation weapon systems designed to improve effectiveness in mountainous terrain.
According to L&T, the Zorawar has been designed with future upgrades in mind and can serve as a base platform for further development in the medium-weight armoured vehicle category.
The tank is being manufactured at L&T's Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira and is entirely indigenous in design. The company describes it as a significant step towards self-reliance in advanced defence technologies and a platform tailored for multi-terrain combat operations.
With the prime minister being briefed on the system during his visit, the Zorawar light tank is once again in focus as one of the indigenous solutions for some of the military's most demanding operational requirements.
